The Warrior Prince
by Ganheim
Summary: Link narrowly saves Hyrule from Ganon and the Dark World. Now a prince from a foreign land is sent to marry Zelda to seal a treaty. When trust is betrayed, how dire might the price be? What are the burdens any one person can bear?
1. Prologue: The Prince Comes

The Legend of Zelda: The Warrior Prince:

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**What Came Before**:

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Long ago, in Hyrule, a beautiful kingdom surrounded by forests and mountains... legends told of an omnipotent Golden Power that lay hidden. It was hidden in a sacred realm beyond the reach of men, but one day a doorway to that realm was suddenly opened...

Hoping to claim the Golden Power as their own, the people began to quarrel and fight. Many sought to enter the hidden Golden Land, but none ever returned, and instead evil power began to issue forth from the dark portal...

So the king commanded seven sages to seal the gate to the land of the Golden Power. Many brave knights were lost in the battle to protect the sages from the tides of evil, but the seal was cast! Evil flowed no more! And the seal would remain for all time...

Or so the people hoped...

But when these events were obscured by the mists of time, and became legend, a mysterious wizard known as Agahnim appeared from nowhere. With strange magic powers he eliminated the good king of Hyrule. He cast spells on the soldiers and kidnapped young maidens descended from the sages in order to break the seal.

While Agahnim succeeded in transporting princess Zelda to the Dark World, she and the other six maidens were rescued by the hero, Link. Link defeated Agahnim and sought out Ganon, defeating him also. He took the Triforce and his noble heart undid the damage Ganon had done:

The good king of Hyrule and the loyal sage returned. Sahasralah had a happy homecoming in Kakariko Village. Link's uncle recovered. The flute-playing boy reappeared. And the Master Sword was returned to its pedestal to sleep again...forever...

Or so the people hoped...

Link, while perhaps a noble hero, still had hopes and dreams like all people. Link had tasted the sweet cup of glory, and secretly longed for a return of the excitement of saving the world.

In the time before the appearance of Agahnim, tensions with Gerudo of the western desert rose. Already they were at war with the great empire called "Dunlár", and many feared that once the Gerudo were out of the way, Dunlár would invade Hyrule. Fortunately, shortly after Dunlár's war with the Gerudo officially began, negotiations began to seal an alliance by a marriage between Princess Zelda and Warrior Prince Raidon.

Link returned the kingdom to "normal," but the outside world has not stopped. The utter defeat of the Gerudo people is in sight, and Warrior Prince Raidon has been sent to Hyrule to meet the Hylian royalty as tradition requires before the official marriage.

In a lull of the fighting between the Gerudo and Dunlár, a small group slips through the Gerudo fortress. In this group are loyal retainers to King Dunlár, his son the popular "Warrior Prince" Raidon, and a select few others from Dunlár. Eastward they travel through Gerudo territory.

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**Prologue: The Prince Comes:**

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Warrior Prince Raidon, the retainers to King Dunlár, and the rest in the company proceed through the eastern gate of the walled Gerudo city. The small group wears long tunics to protect them from the sun and other harsh conditions of the desert. A weak but hot breeze whistles across the ground, catching the rough fabrics of their over-tunics and blowing dust about their feet as they walk away from the city built of dark stone.

On the lesser walls of the east side of the city, several Gerudo guards pause on their patrol of the top. They turn their gaze onto the small company, watching as the group marches to the east. Since there was no commotion at the east gate, and the Gerudo guards on the west side of the city let them through, the guards assume that the group is unimportant and they turn their attention to trying to find some measly scraps of shade in the hot noonday sun.

Reyak steels a glance back towards the Gerudo, allows a glare to flit across his face, then turns back. He snickers to himself at the unpleasant duty of those Gerudo.

"Care to tell the rest of us what is so funny, retainer Reyak?" Koyu, a captain of the Dunlár knights, keeps his eyes ahead and his hands in the large brown sleeves of his over-tunic, his voice dead serious.

Reyak decides to remain silent, his expression returning serious but the smirk fading slowly. Prince Raidon, the youngest and smallest in the group, fiddles with something on his left wrist, a thing somewhere in between a full forearm bracer and a bracelet. "Reyak, we're not meeting the Hylian royalty right away, right? Why don't you take this thing off?"

An older man with wispy gray hair and a tan, wrinkled face underneath his brown hood, steps closer to Raidon. With a voice instilled with authority, he clearly states, "Your father the king said that you were to wear that inhibitor bracer until after your first meeting with their king. You are still young and inexperienced, you might accidentally cast a magic spell and cause... a situation."

Raidon sighs and lets his arms drop to his side. "Fine then, Markus." The young prince mutters under his breath, "Just because you're my father's right hand..."

Reyak, now walking at the front of the group, slows. "Do you feel that? It's getting cooler." The group eagerly picks up their pace and discovers that it does indeed seem to be getting cooler. Raidon thinks he hears a faint sound, he turns his head. At the same time, the group hears something that sounds to them disturbingly like the roar of an approaching horde of Dodongo.

Raidon instinctively reaches into his tunic for his steel Moon Dagger. Markus grabs his arm to stop him. He leans down to the young prince, "Stay your hand, sir. Remember, we are still in Gerudo territory. If they saw one of us with Dunláran weapons, they would kill us all."

Raidon takes his hand away from the hidden sheath at his waist and nods his head in understanding. Although today may be a cease-fire day, the war is not yet over. The Gerudo seem to particularly despise Dunlár. They fight viciously, and they fight to the last warrior.

As the group continues forward, Raidon notices the roar growing louder. Now he can tell that the sound is not quite like a Dodongo charge, though he is not sure what it might be. He looks up at the rock walls of the canyon to see them curving back and forth to make their path twist and turn. The group continues walking forward and the roar changes from a distant, background sound to a loud, powerful noise reverberating between the rock walls.

Finally the rock walls sheer away to the sides, the canyon yawning open. In the center of the space is the most spectacular thing Raidon has ever seen. The mighty Gerudo waterfall, its waters flowing all the way from the Zora spring head. Several of the group stand there, gawking. The falls are huge, more water than they had ever seen at once pounds down into the misty depths far below.

"Hey! Haven't you Hylians ever seen a waterfall before?" A Gerudo guard walks up to them, curved swords across her back. She spits at their feet and glares towards them, muttering something about stupid Hylians and getting lost in front of an archer. "We heard about you. Stop wandering into our territory. Don't they tell you that there's a war going on?"

Koyu says with the mocking tone well hidden, "The Gerudo are at war? How horrible!" Some of the retainers have to cover their mouths to hide the smiles. Raidon lets his hood droop forward to hide his face, glad for the slightly oversized cloth to hide his wide smile as he suppresses a snicker.

The small group follows the sword-armed Gerudo guard to a bridge across the chasm. She pauses and turns to face them again just before they reach the bridge. Another two Gerudo on each side ready bows, and a second sword-armed Gerudo walks up from the bridge. The first looks them in the eye, not bothering to hide her disdain. "Hoods down. We have to check for Dunlárian messengers trying to sneak into Hyrule."

A smirk briefly flashes across Raidon's face. Dunlár had been using carrier pigeons for months, with only the brief lull when Hyrule was in Ganon's grip. The Gerudo hadn't stopped – much less intercepted – a single message. Raidon allows his eyes to roll up slightly as he thinks about how fortunate that is. If the Gerudo had been stopping the birds, his correspondence with Princess Zelda would have been broken off. Such a step is a required part of Dunlárian pre-marriage traditions.

The Gerudo guard chews on her lip absent-mindedly as she looks over the group. They look a little too smudged by sand and dirt to have been Hylians who wandered into the desert, but they could have been lost there for a day or few. Their skin is a little more tan than other Hylians she'd seen before, but they still had the long, pointed ears and lithe bodies that Hylians had, though their muscles seemed more toned than most Hylians. Perhaps they were farm hands. She turns away, dismissing them as if they weren't worth her time in the first place. "Go on, get out of here."

The archers relax, putting their arrows back into their quivers. Raidon looks over his left shoulder, back at the Gerudo camp, then back forward and the group begins over the bridge. The other Gerudo don't even bother to glare at the Dunlárians in disguise as they set foot on the other side. Several sigh with relief as they make it past the last Gerudo camp without being caught.

Ahead, water springs from a rock into another water-filled drop in the canyon. A narrow bridge crosses the gap. The Dunlárian group crosses without a backward glance. As Raidon reaches the other side, he looks at the rock wall and notices a scraggly, prickly plant growing in a crack at the side of the canyon. It reminds him of home in the harsh, rugged lands of Dunlár.

As he stands to return to the march east, Raidon thinks about the letters Zelda sent him. _She wrote about fields that stretched as far as the eye could see, where the ground was entirely covered in grass_. Dunlár is primarily made of mountain and desert. The lushness that Hyrule casually thrives in is almost beyond the imagination of Dunlárians.

The rock narrows for a ways, and the group walks in silence. An hour or so passes, and Raidon's keen eyes notice the plants and scraggly shrubs appear more and more often. Finally, the rock walls begin to open up and Raidon notices the plants are not only more frequent, but more green and more fragile-looking. He shakes his head, assuming that his fascination with the plants is due to the fact that he spent the past two years in the Gorgon Wastes with the "sand people" of Dunlár.

The rock walls shoot off to the side, and another breath-taking view opens up to the Dunlarian group. They stand, staring out at Hyrule plain. Raidon's eyes widen, trying to take everything in. _She was right, the ground is covered in green grass as far as the eye can see_.

A rather overweight and unfortunately short Hylian in relatively clean overalls walks up to the Dunlarians, interrupting their gawking. "Hey there! Name's Tarin. I'm glad to see you all back. Why don't we head on over to my ranch at Lon Lon Village? My daughter can only handle the workers for so long." He adds his last sentence with a chuckle, and the Dunlarians play along.

Markus shakes his head, remembering that this Hylian was in on the plan to smuggle the prince into Hyrule. The group is still close to Gerudo territory, so the pretense must be maintained as well as they can manage until they reach Lon Lon Village. "Yes, master Tarin. We should be getting back home."

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_Many tales claim the beginning of the Golden Power. Some say smiths from the bowels of Dunsparse Mountain crafted it, others say magi of unlimited power created it. The Golden Power was locked away from mortal men for ages, and many sought the elusive omnipotent power._

— Excerpt of the Dunlan annals of the Golden Power


	2. Hail to the King

The Legend of Zelda: The Warrior Prince:

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**Chapter 1: Hail to the King:**

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Warrior Prince Raidon marches along with the entourage of Dunlarian officials surrounding him. He walks in the center of the group's rigid formation, unable to see exactly where they are or where they going due to the fact that everybody around him is taller. A gust of wind makes it through the formation and pulls gently at Raidon's aqua blue – trimmed steel gray prince's tunic.

Everybody wears a pristine, regal uniform. The four soldiers at the corners of the rectangular formation are in full Dunlaran plate mail, graceful and form-following that gives the soldiers a lithe appearance rather than making them look ungainly. The sun glints off the mild turquoise metal, almost giving them a magical glow in the mid-morning. They hold poles with the crest of Dunlar flapping in banners at the top. The deep blue fabric is edged in gold, with the silver crest of a three-headed dragon roaring in determined defiance. Subtle and almost hidden in the background behind the dragon heads are three faint triangles.

The others in the entourage wear regal robes. Markus wears his royal court tunic. It's light cloud gray smashes against the hard cuts of stark green. The others wear similar tunics, with varying shapes and patterns of green against the primary gray to indicate their positions in Dunlar. Koyu's uniform has what looks like large, stretched squares of green, indicating his position in the Royal Guard of Dunlar.

The troop stops, their feet hitting the ground in time. Raidon hears a large metal gate hefting open, and looks over the shoulders of the officials around him to notice that the high rooftops and wood-plaster walls of Hyrule City no longer rise above the sides of the road. Now the entourage stands in a ravine of some sort, with sheer walls of rock. The gate opens and the troop marches forward again, announced by one of the Hylian guards standing at the top of the huge stone arch guardhouse, "Make way for the Dunlarian delegation!"

Hylian soldiers stand at proud attention, lining both sides of the road. The troop continues ahead and the prince is aware of crossing a wooden drawbridge. He looks up to see a massive, white-marbled structure loom over head as he passes into the main castle courtyard. The group stops and begins to break up, but Raidon is irritated when the eight officials standing next to him remain in place, boxing him in place and obscuring his view. He huffs but tries to hide his annoyance.

Raidon watches from between the narrow space between two soldiers in front and to his left as High Advisor Markus bows to someone just out of Raidon's view. Raidon assumes this person to be the King. A few moments pass and Markus rises, then backs out of view and stands off to the side.

Koyu, Chief of the Royal Guard, steps forward and bows to one knee. He and the King speak just loud enough for Raidon to hear their voices, but not quite enough for him to discern the words. Raidon, already impatient, begins to grow nervous. He shifts his weight from one foot to the other.

Koyu stands and walks out of view. Raidon stops shifting his weight and is grateful to hear Markus' voice shout, "Hail to the King of Hyrule!" A pause as Markus takes another deep breath, before he shouts, "Warrior Prince Raidon of Dunlar!" The eight soldiers surrounding Raidon turn around with military precision, four of them walking to Raidon's left and the other four to his right. Standing mere feet from prince Raidon is the King of Hyrule.

Raidon follows the example of the other two he saw and bows to one knee, lowering his face. "My liege, King of Hyrule, it is an honor to meet you at last."

The old man chuckles good-naturedly. He smiles, lines creasing on his warm face as his dull green eyes look over the young prince. "It is also an honor to finally meet you in person. Please, stand." Raidon complies, but remembers protocol and looks at the King's mouth to keep his eyes lower than the king's and so prevent being rude. The King motions 'come' to someone standing at the side of the expansive, luxurious courtyard. A boy about Raidon's age in a green Hylian knight's tunic steps forward and bows to the King. "Prince Raidon, allow me to introduce Sir Link Dauntless."

Raidon turns to link and gives the requisite bow. _So this is the hero who vanquished Ganon and saved Zelda from the Dark World_. "It is an honor to meet you." Raidon's voice is neutral, and he keeps his facial expression rigidly dispassionate to hide his jealousy. Zelda told him about Link's exploits, and how he acted as a true warrior to save his nation, something Raidon had dreamt of doing but never been satisfied with the war against the Gerudo.

Link returns the bow, and although he shows no obvious emotion, Raidon sees a flash of curiosity in the hero's eyes and assumes that he hasn't been told about the prince's coming. Link answers, "It is likewise an honor, prince." He bows to the king, who bows back to permit Link to return to the sidelines.

The king opens his mouth to speak, but is interrupted by one of the peripheral guards. "We're under att—"

A ball of lightning strikes the guard attempting to shout the warning, abruptly silencing him. Before Raidon can even stand and see what is going on, all hell breaks loose.

Balls of fire, lightning, and ice fling in every which direction as mysterious mages dressed in close-fitting, all-black tunics teleport in with an eerie 'Broww-weeh'. The Hylian guards quickly have their weapons drawn. The Hylian archers waste little time to nock their arrows and open fire on the black-clad attackers.

Raidon reaches into his belt and draws his Moon Dagger instinctively. He tries to send a bolt of fire at one of the mages, but the inhibitor disrupts his mana and prevents the combat spell from being cast.

Link draws his knight's sword and shield, using the shield to narrowly block an incoming bolt of fire from one of the mages. Link leaps nimbly forward, bringing his sword down in a powerful vertical slash. The mage, entirely hidden underneath his hood, suddenly vanishes in an odd blurring and stretching of his silhouette. Link's sword smashes a gouge into the soft, grassy ground of the main courtyard. _That sound when the mage vanished, I've heard it before_.

The mage appears behind him. He thrusts his hands towards Link to sent a fire bolt at him, striking him square in the back. Link shouts in pain but grips his sword and stands.

Raidon surges forward. He swings his dagger and cuts deeply into the mage's arm. His opponent cries out in pain and surprise. He backs away and reflexively sends a fire bolt in Raidon's direction, but the shot is wide.

The prince snarls, but before he can surge forward in a retaliatory attack, Link calmly slashes his sword in a horizontal arc just above hip-height. It cuts deeply into the black-clad mage, drawing more blood.

The mage runs away, but before the pair of fighters can pursue him, a cry arises from within the Hylian castle, "They are in the Palace!" The interior of the castle is also besieged, and it isn't long before the huge double-doors are thrown open. Magic blasts crisscross the air inside as the black mages spring about, attacking and countering the few Hylian guards.

One black mage teleports just behind Raidon, but instead of shooting an attack at the warrior prince, he turns and sends a powerful ball of ice at the King. It strikes him directly in the chest and encases him in ice. The mage teleports away and a loud, femnine scream tears from within the castle.

"Zelda!" Link slashes at a nearby mage, powering steel through his foe. Link turns to the opened doors and dashes inside, wishing he had worn his Pegasus Boots.

Raidon is about to sprint after Link when he sees a black mage grappling with a Hylian guard, both of them pushing against each other as the Hylian guard attempts to regain control of his polearm. Raidon dashes forward as fast as his legs will carry him without the benefit of magic's summoning the Spirit of the Wolf, and slashes his Moon Dagger up through the mage's back. The mage screams and releases the trident spear. The guard takes a step back and thrusts the blades into the mage. The black-clad enemy dissolves.

Raidon takes a few paces back towards the center of the chaotic 'welcoming courtyard'. Magic blasts of various types continue to fly back and forth through the air. Raidon ducks and rolls forward to evade a fire ball that splashes against an oak tree growing to the side.

The young prince hears the strange straining noise and sees a silouette coalesce into a black mage in front of him. Raidon takes a step back and the mage turns to the prince, then raises his hands to send a spell at him. A beat passes, but instead of attacking the prince, the mage swings his arms around and shoots a lightning bolt at a random Hylian soldier. Raidon roars and slashes at the mage, drawing blood. The mage teleports away before the young Dunlarian warrior can attack again.

Hylian archers, standing on the upper-level wall walkway wrapping around the courtyard, send arrows down at the black mages. A teleport blur-stretch in the midst of one line of the archers catches them off guard. A black mage appears, he wastes no time to draw a sword and begin swinging at the archers. One of the brave archers draws down in a crouch, then springs with a bellow, knocking the black mage off the wall. The two plummet more than twenty feet to the ground, the black mage landing with the Hylian archer landing on top of him.

Raidon begins jogging to the downed Hylian, but is distracted by the blurred silhouette of a teleport beside him. He stops and raises his dagger. The Dunlarian boy swings, but the black mage jumps back, the cloth on the front of his pitch black tunic catching on the dagger's sharp tip. Raidon surges forward and slashes again and again, but the mage is just a little quicker, besides having longer legs.

Raidon turns around to the King to see several Hylian soldiers forming a ring around the frozen royal ruler. A black mage teleports near the ring, opposite Raidon. The mage sends a huge fire ball at the nearest soldier, then teleports away before the other soldiers can cut the mage down. The Hylian targeted by the fire ball dives down. The spell narrowly misses him and hurdles forward, missing the King and the other side of the protective circle. The spell continues all the way until it splashes against the wall of the courtyard.

Raidon looks towards the gate to see a Dunlarian and Hylian guard fending off one of the black-clad fighters. This one holds long, curved swords in his hands, and he nimbly leaps about. Raidon sprints at the black sword-fighter, but the enemy notices him before Raidon can get close enough to use his dagger and disappears in a teleport blur-stretch. Raidon growls in frustration. _What good is being a warrior prince if all of my enemies refuse to face me?_

Raidon sees the two guards he was attempting to help staring at the center of the courtyard. The prince turns to follow their gaze and gasps at what he sees. A handful of black mages are calmly marching forward, using exceptionally powerful magic to break apart the defending ring. Unlike the mages before, these ones unleash massively powerful spells, but do so as if the magic was effortless. In the center of the group is a slightly taller mage, this one with a black tunic but white pants, and instead of the close fabric hood, he wears a thick, shining black velvet cloak with a huge, voluminous hood completely obscuring his head.

A Hylian guard raises his halberd and charges this mage. The tall mage chuckles a deep, almost inhuman mocking of the small guard before him. He raises his hand and sends an almost invisible pulse at the guard. The pulse strikes the armored guard, hitting him like a brick wall. He drops his halberd and flies through the air before crumpling across the ground like a sack of potatoes.

The mage turns back to the King, still encased in ice. A cry from the mages beside him draw his attention. Raidon kicks aside one mage and stabs the dagger into the next, the one next to the velvet-caped mage. The mage pulls himself away from the young prince's dagger and teleports away. Raidon stands in an aggressive crouch, ready to spring. The tall mage lets loose a deep, throaty chuckle, the laugh a slap at the prince's pathetic attempts to stop him; then turns back to the king as if the young boy isn't worth his time.

Raidon roars in anger and leaps at the velvet-caped leader's head. The dagger catches the thick, black material, cutting through it with difficulty and forcing the hood back. The voluminous hood falls down and the mage whips his head around. His head is still covered by black cloth, but instead of cloth continuing over his whole head to hide his face, he wears a dark-stained cherry wood mask. The motionless mask has angry, narrowly slitted eyes and a mouth turned down, with a nose wrinkled in a snarl to complete the expression.

Though Raidon cannot see the true face of the mage behind the mask, he knows that he is probably about as angry as the mask's exterior. The mage moves both hands as if lifting something up.

Raidon feels a force like a snake coiled around his neck, constricting. His hands spasm open and instinctively reach to his neck, trying to claw away the invisible force suffocating him. Raidon feels the force push against his chin and he lifts up, his feet leaving the ground.

The mage turns his hands, holding both up with fingers together and palms outwards. He pushes lightly, as if opening a swinging door, and Raidon flies through the air into the oak tree almost a dozen yards behind him.

The prince crashes hard against the tree, the back of his head contacting with a solid thunk. Stars explode into his vision and he is unaware that the crushing force on his neck has disappeared as he slides to the ground, crumpling to his knees. Raidon weakly holds out his hands, fighting to stay conscious as flashes of color burst across his eyes from the edges of his vision.

Through the flashes and spreading blurriness of his vision, Raidon sees the caped mage charge a fire spell and send a fire ball at the king. The ice melts and Raidon thinks the king slumps to the ground, though everything has become so blurry he can't tell. With brief blur-spots that could be teleport spells, the black intruders all vanish.

As Raidon loses the struggle to stay conscious, a Hylian guard jogs from within the quieting castle, cupping his hands around his mouth to shout, "The black mages have been driven off!"

"Huzzah!"

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_In times of old, a rich land grew. The people never thirsted, never hungered. But one day, rumors grew of a mighty Golden Power, and greedy men marched to take it for their own dreams of power._

— Excerpt from the Dunlan annals of "The Golden Power"


	3. After the Disaster

The Legend of Zelda: The Warrior Prince:

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**Chapter 2: After the Disaster:**

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A soft, moist cloth dabs at the back of Raidon's head. Unfortunately, however lightly, it comes in contact with the large bump on the back of the prince's skull. His eyes clench and he cries out. He immediately flinches back, the cry moving his tongue, which is still bleeding from when he bit it when his head smacked into the solid tree trunk.

The prince slowly cracks one eye open. A blurry world slowly comes together in front of him. The cloth dabs at the back of his head again and Raidon tenses his jaw and fists. He looks to his right and sees retainer Merimak sitting on the grass, tending to his wounds. The retainer forces a smile. "Starting to feel any better, prince?"

Before Raidon can answer him, he sees a blond-haired boy about his age, in a green knight's tunic, run from the open doors of the castle towards the lowered drawbridge. The young Dunlarian closes his eyes at the quick movement and wills the world to stop swimming around him. When he opens his eyes, he begins to search for the Hylian... Link was his name.

Merimak distracts him by holding out a brown bottle to the prince. "Here, drink this Hylian potion. They tell me it will make the wounds disappear."

The prince takes the bottle in his hands and feels its weight for a minute. The small container seems to be roughly half-full of some sort of sloshing liquid. Raidon tilts his head back and slams the mouth of the bottle over his lips. A rather unnaturally red, tangy, almost sweet substance flows into Raidon's mouth.

Raidon feels the tear in his tongue seal together. As the liquid enters him, it seems to flow straight into his body rather than obeying basic principles and traveling to his stomach. The young warrior decides not to ponder why and risk jinxing it as the health potion travels through his body almost of its own accord, removing his injuries.

He hands the empty bottle back to Merimak, then holds his hand to his temple as a strange pressure and dizziness ebbs away with an unpleasant pulsing in time with his heartbeat. Raidon slowly rises to his feet, refusing the offer of Merimak's hand to help him up. A true warrior doesn't rely on the strength of others to stand.

"I saw you go up against that caped mage. You were fearless. Your father would be proud." Raidon looks down, some red tinting his cheeks. There is no greater compliment in Dunlar than a father proud of his son's performance in battle. "The guards say that Link ran inside the palace to help defend Zelda from the black intruders." Merimak turns slightly away from the prince and clenches a fist. "Those fools dared to try to harm the princess. Just imagine what they might have caused if she had been killed. The alliance marriage would have been ... it would have meant war between Dunlar and Hyrule."

Raidon rolls his eyes. "I'm glad to hear that you were concerned for the princess's well-being." He pauses, but has nothing to say about war. It is true that Dunlar is an empire of warriors, it has always expanded by conquering, not arranging marriages. This is the first time that a marriage has been arranged before the nation's defeat, and many traditionalist Dunlarians feel that it is a betrayal of the fatherland's great heritage.

The prince steadies himself against the oak tree and looks around. The courtyard, which was supposed to be a place of welcoming and celebration, has become a makeshift hospital. Rows of wounded, most of them Hylian guards, lie on stretchers on the ground. Fortunately, the rows are not extremely long and the number of wounded is probably only in the dozens. Raidon recognizes the tunics of a few of the healers as Dunlarian, but doesn't recognize who they are and turns his attention elsewhere.

Merimak follows the prince's gaze, but doesn't quite seem to take in the concerned look on the prince's face. Raidon is already starting to think of the Hylians as his people. Merimak focuses more on the people of his nation. "The fighting was quick, but we managed to escape with minor injuries. The Hylian Guard came together quickly enough that they only took a few casualties. Oh! You dropped this."

The retainer holds out his hands and presents the prince his Moon Dagger. Raidon takes it carefully and looks at the large blade in his hands. The steel extends more than eight inches out of a long handle. The entire dagger curves gracefully, its shape reminiscent of a crescent moon or the poised tail of a scorpion. If held just right in the light, it almost seems to have its own ethereal glow, as if one could see the reflection of another world in it. It has been cleaned from the blood of the black mages, so the prince returns it to its scabbard hidden on his belt. A warrior is never without a weapon.

The prince returns his gaze to the courtyard, sweeping over the last parts of it. He doesn't see a frozen figure standing in the center, where the King was last he knew. "What happened to the King of Hyrule?"

Merimak frowns and kicks at the grass, hesitating to answer. "The King is alive, but barely so. He is bedridden and horribly sick. The healers here say he might not live throughout the day. From what I gathered from the guards, that Lenk boy was going to the... Kokiri Forest to ask a... Deku Tree if it knew anything that could help." The retainer goes through the Hylian names slowly, being careful to pronounce them correctly, despite having gotten Link's name wrong.

The prince nods and turns to begin walking out of the courtyard. Merimak slaps a hand down on the prince's shoulder to stop him and get his attention. "Your highness, there are some Hylian Dwarves that wish to speak with you. They say they have a gift they planned to present at the end of the ceremony as the first gift from Hyrule to Dunlar." The young royalty nods and Merimak leads him towards the doors of the palace. Standing beside them are two Dwarves wearing rather clean smithing gear.

The short pair look very much alike, though most of it is the identical clothing that they wear, covering most of their bodies. Long, white, well-groomed beards sprout from their chins, slightly obscuring their faces and making the prince stare in curiosity. The two bow to him. "My liege, we are so very honored to be in your presence. We regret that we had to meet under such circumstances, but let us attempt to return the day to at least some of what it should have been."

The second one, standing on the left, pivots around, then picks up a large package wrapped in a tan, slightly off-white silk tied in place with a darker silk sash. Due to its weight and size, the two have to help each other hold up the large object, and the first resumes his speech. "Please accept Hyrule's first gift to Dunlar. We know of your people's great warrior history, so here we present a steel Scimitar, a great hand-and-a-half sword."

The prince unties the sash and slips off the silk covering, taking the large scabbard in his hands. He gently lowers the far end to the ground and grasps the handle, drawing it from the sheathe. A comfortable handle with enough room for both hands before the pommel slides upwards. A thick, rather wide and very finely crafted steel blade extends from the handle. The Dunlarian slides it back into the sheathe, then hefts it and slings the weapon across his back.

The Dwarves bow again and Raidon returns the gesture, granting them permission to leave. The two smiths turn and walk at a rather quick pace down the road to return to their smithy. After he finishes strapping the sheathe across his back, he turns to retainer Merimak as the two walk back to the drawbridge. "Where are the others from the envoy?"

"After the attack, I volunteered to stay and keep watch over you. Royu thought that the situation should be investigated immediately, so he went to question the gate guards. I'm not sure where he is now, and most of the others volunteered to help and have also left." Raidon nods in acknowledgement and is about to continue over the bridge when Royu grasps the prince's shoulder. "Just a moment, sir. I can remove the inhibitor preventing you from casting Water Bolt."

"That's it? Merimak, we were just attacked! Can't you take them all off?"

Merimak snaps back, "Even if I had the authority, you know I can't do that! The only stones I can touch are the Water Inhibitors. Right now this is all I can do." He stops and waits for the prince.

Raidon squirms for a second, trying to think of a further argument, then decides that he won't get anywhere and he thrusts his left arm at the retainer and pulls the sleeve of his tunic up. Merimak draws a flat, hooked metal instrument that looks faintly like a scalpel. He uses it to wedge up and, with great difficulty to keep from touching the other stones, removes this square one. He palms the opaque, off-white square. "A message has been sent to Dunlar, but it will be a while before anything can get here. Retainer Maldon should have some equipment. He left for Kakariko Village to the east."

Raidon nods and takes off down the road. He runs through the busy Hyrule Town and crosses the massive town drawbridge. He continues running steadily until he reaches a fork in the road, where he stops to read a sign. _Kakariko village: east_.

…

* * *

… 

_None who left to seek the Golden Power returned. Instead, a miasma of evil flowed from the portal to the Golden land, ravaging the pure land it touched and beginning the Desert of White Bones._

— Excerpt from the Dunlan annals of "The Golden Power"


	4. Kakariko Village

The Legend of Zelda: The Warrior Prince:

…

…

**Chapter 3: Kakariko Village:**

…

Raidon's feet hit the ground in a steady, rapid pounding. His breathing and heartbeat remain steady, the regular exertion remind him of warrior training back home in the dry, rocky capitol city of Dunlár. His eyes take in the scene before him and he can't help but slow as he gazes at the beautiful land around him. A set of wide stairs cut into the mountainside. Raidon speeds up them to Kakariko Village.

As his legs thrust him up the stairs, he notices black wisps rising from the mountains ahead. _Smoke?_ Raidon redoubles his pace as he races up the steps, trying to shrug off annoyance at the unfamiliar feel of the scimitar scabbard across his back. _They might need help_.

The young Dunlárian reaches the top and comes to a wooden gate of Kakariko Village. He steps through the wooden gateway to see a village in chaos. Kakariko is burning, and its attackers are the very same black mages as the ones who tried to kill the King.

Raidon instinctively reaches for his Moon Dagger, then pauses and remembers his newly-acquired Scimitar. Raidon reaches over his shoulder and slides it out of the sheath, then slows and has to struggle for a moment at the unexpected weight of the large steel blade. His other hand slaps down on the soft leather above the pommel and he takes a step to keep his balance.

Raidon begins to run steadily into the village, his Scimitar held back and ready for a powerful swing. A black intruder holding a winged spear stumbles backwards from behind a building. The young warrior roars as he swings his blade, forcing the steel through the mage's body, but the prince miscalculates and sends himself off-balance, forcing him to stagger a few steps.

Another figure runs out from behind the building and Raidon automatically swings towards it. The figure turns out to be a Hylian villager brandishing a gardening hoe. Fortunately, the villager reacts quickly and swings his weapon to block Raidon's sword, cracking the farming instrument but preventing any injury. Raidon draws back his sword and nods in apology. The villager grunts angrily and turns around, then runs back in the same direction he came from.

Raidon returns his sword to its ready position, holding it back as if doing so could release a swirl of energy. A stretch-blur teleport appears before Raidon, and he swings his sword. This black-clad intruder holds a wickedly hooked short polearm. He sees the prince and raises his weapon.

The prince doesn't give the intruder a chance to use it. He powers the blade high into the mage. The black-clad opponent brings his own steel to meet Raidon's, but Raidon's weapon is heavier and carries greater momentum, driving the black fighter back. He stumbles back and Raidon swings again. The intruder begins to lose his footing, but teleports away before the prince can heft his sword up again for another strike.

Raidon grunts and muscles the sword back up, resting the flat edge on his shoulder so it is still relatively ready for use but isn't so hard to hold. _It's been a long time since I used a weapon so big. I wish I had my trusty leaf-blade swords_. The young prince begins walking forward again, flames from many buildings casting a flickering red light on his face against the sun in the mid afternoon.

The young Dunlárian runs down the path, turning left at the intersection. Past the large building is a wide town square, dominated by a huge well filled with water. Scattered throughout the town square are black mages, struggling against determined and armed Hylian villagers.

Raidon hesitates for a moment, but clasps his hands on the handle of his scimitar. With a roar to draw their attention from lightly armed villagers to himself, he charges in and swings his sword.

Just like the battle in Hyrule Castle's welcoming courtyard, the mages refuse to send magic spells against him. Every time the prince thinks he is about to finally land a blow, they flee with their blur-stretch teleport. None of the super-powerful mages appear this time, so the battle is broken up much more quickly.

The villagers have no time to celebrate. Kakariko is still burning. Many of them simply drop their improvised weapons, some rush off to put them away before seizing buckets, pots, anything that can hold water for fighting the fires.

A few people sit down at the well, busying themselves by filling buckets and handing them off to other people. Without the clumsy exchange of words, Raidon takes a filled container and runs to the nearest burning building.

The sun dips beneath the buildings and rocky hills on Kakariko's west side, but slowly the flames are brought under control. Raidon, weary from his sprinting back and forth, trudges back to the well. The town center is nearly empty now, so the prince drops his bucket at the feet of one of the people at the well and sits heavily on the side, exhausted both from the physical act of running and the mental exertion of casting Water Bolt at fires on his way back.

"My liege!" A royal retainer that looks almost as tired as the prince jumps up with surprise.

His face still slightly red and glistening with sweat from the prolonged period of exertion, Raidon chuckles out between gasping breaths, "Stop that ... Maldon. You know ... I hate those stuffy ... formalities."

Both the prince and retainer laugh, ending with deep gasping because of the heavy exertion both went through that day. Finally, the boy asks, "So, Maldon. What happened?"

"Shortly before I arrived, those mórihoth attacked. I helped to drive off the black mages. It seems their only purpose was to cause confusion and panic. Nobody was killed as far as I know, but it seems almost every building was set on fire."

"Don't I know it." The prince pushes himself to a sitting position from his lying sprawl across the wide rim of the well. "Merimak said you'd have some equipment for me. All I've got is this huge steel Scimitar that the Hylian Dwarves gave as a gift for the ceremony." He rubs his arm, surprised at how heavy it felt. He'd used scimitars before, even ones bigger than that, but it had been a while. _I didn't think I was so out of practice_.

Maldon breathes deeply and chuckles as his eyes dart downwards for a moment. "I'm sorry sir, but I don't have any armor or swords. Just my winged spear ..." He holds out his polearm to the prince in an offer, but the prince waves it away. He always liked the grace of slashing weapons like the leaf-bladed sword or glaive more than piercing or stabbing weapons, despite becoming proficient in both. Maldon shrugs his shoulders and leans it back against his shoulder. "All I've got is this shovel. I don't even have your flute, you'd have to ask retainer Reyak about that."

Raidon takes the shovel and grips it just below the shovel blade. _I spent hours running here, fighting my way through the village, and putting out fires, just to get a stupid shovel_. He lets the shovel rest against his side of the well and lifts up his sleeve to look at the inhibitor bracer. "While I'm here, do you think you could remove any of these?"

Maldon leans over and looks at the bracer on the prince's left arm. "I dunno, you know that only High Advisor Markus has the authority to remove all of them." The boy throws a dirty look at the elder Dunlárian and the retainer exclaims, "Wait a minute! I can pull this one off." The royal retainer fishes around in his tunic, then extracts a hooked metal tool like the one Merimak used. He pries away an 'L' shaped stone, being careful not to touch any of the other ones. It takes a while. "Got it. Let's see, looks like this one blocked . . . one of your telekinetics. You should be able to pick up rupees and other junk from a distance now." He grins. "Again."

Raidon slaps his palm over his face. "Oh, 'grab'! I remember all those boring training sessions." The prince and royal retainer both laugh, glad for the temporary break from the rather chaotic day.

A Hylian walks up in the fading daylight to pick up a hoe left abandoned on the ground in the rush to put out the fires. He looks up and sees the two Dunlárians sitting alone in the area of the well. His brows nit together and his eyes narrow. "You foreigners are at fault for this. Everything was fine until you came along!"

The prince hops onto his feet with indignation, the shovel sliding to the ground with a clatter. "We helped save your village!"

"The black mages didn't attack until you conveniently appeared." The villager glares, then opens his mouth to continue arguing, then his eyes focus on something coming around the corner of a building to the east. "Link!"

The two Dunlárians turn around to see a familiar boy with blond-haired boy, but instead of his green knight's tunic, he is now clad in red chain-mail. He wears higher boots with winged patters on the sides, and a large shield is slung across his back. And hovering in the lamp on his belt is the blue glow of a fairy.

…

* * *

… 

_The King of the rich land commanded the most powerful wizards to seal the portal. Many wise and powerful magi were lost in the fight, but when the sun set, the battle had been won! The knights, from whom grew our people of Dunlar, had saved the world from destruction!_

— Excerpt from the Dunlan annals of "The Golden Power"


	5. The Deku Tree

The Legend of Zelda: The Warrior Prince:

…

…

**Chapter 4: The Deku Tree:**

…

Link had run into the Palace to help save Zelda, only to find a very angry half-dressed Hylian princess braining a black mage with a quarterstaff. After that he inquired about the King and learned that he was bedridden, the healers said he probably wouldn't live until the next sunrise. Link volunteered to go to the Kokiri Forest to seek help from the Deku Tree and he was given a hopeful send-off from the royal Master Healer.

Unfortunately, his horse wasn't fast enough to get there and back within a day. That surprise attack didn't bolster his confidence either, so he decided to visit his home on the northern outskirts of Lon Lon Village to pick up some equipment. At the very least he could pick up his Ocarina and Pegasus Boots.

After a brisk run, Link makes it into Hyrule Town and to the stables where his rented horse rests. The trip across Hyrule Plains stretches on until he finally reaches the home he used to share with his uncle while the old man was still alive. The house looms ahead of him, positioned on a ridge north of Lon Lon as if a sentry post protecting the settlement. The wood-and-plaster exterior belies the sturdy construction of the building, and the red tiles of the roof seem to glow in the early noon-day sun. Link sends off the horse in his front yard, then enters his home, kicking his boots against the outside doorframe to knock off the few bits of dirt that have collected on his footwear on his trip.

The interior of the house is made of wood paneling and simple plaster. The building is small and simple. The first room is a simple entry area with a wood table uncluttered by items. A few shelves poked out from the walls, and aside from the lamp he took in his first rescue of Zelda from Agahnim, none of the items warrant attention. Link sets his sword and shield down on the table and removes his leather boots before moving to the next room.

A combined dining room and kitchen stretches before him, taking up half of the structure but still not overly large due to the building's small size. A well rests in one corner, a cooking fire in the next corner near the center of the house to provide heat through the winter.

Link moves on to the last room. His bed lies pushed up against the wall. Many long shelves line two of the walls in this room, and various pots his uncle used to store things are scattered against a third wall. The young Hylian marches across the wood floor to the shelves and begins digging through them to find his equipment. He finds his Pegasus Boots on a high shelf.

Gripping the leather cuffs, he yanks them off and dislodges the Mirror Shield that was lying on top of them. The shield nearly hits him on the head on its way down. As he bends down to pick up the shield, he notices an old box. Deciding to spare a few seconds to reminisce, he opens it and takes out his old Red Mail. _I wish I had this on when those black mages attacked_.

A smile breaks out across his face. _What the heck. It can't hurt, it's not like it's ever slowed me down_. The young knight quickly changes into his mail and Pegasus Boots, then drops his ocarina in a pocket on his tunic belt. On his way out, he decides to grab his lamp. Once back outdoors, Link charges east at full speed to the Lost Forest.

The verdant plains race underneath his boots even faster than if he were riding a horse, and the boots don't tire. The early afternoon sun shines brightly onto the ground behind him as he crosses the border from Hyrule Plains to the Lost Forest. Cool, thick forest air whistles over his exposed face and he feels a little anxious at having to enter the Lost Forest again, even having the Great Deku Tree's permission. As he approaches the forest, he takes out his lamp to dispel shadows hiding roots and small gullies, then proceeds straight east into the timberland.

A soft yellow glow in between the trees ahead draws his attention out of his memories. The spot of light hovers between two trees a few yards away, bobbing slightly. Link can hear the slight fluttering of fairy wings. Then, thanks more to his lamp than what little sunlight filters through the canopy, he sees a faintly familiar little girl, maybe six or seven, come trotting out from the shadows of the forest.

The girl wears a regular tunic of the Kokiri, dominated by forest colors, especially every possible shade of green. Her hair is also a pale green, as if she had sprouted from the forest and at any moment might take root and transform into a shrub. Her large eyes sparkle, the irises something lighter than a brown but Link can't tell in this light. She looks at him with apprehension.

Before the Hylian knight can say anything to try to reassure the Kokiri, the yellow fairy zips at him and circles around his head exactly twice, then zips back to the Kokiri. _It wants me to follow_. Link shrugs his shoulders and begins to walk towards the little Kokiri. The fairy flies off into the forest and the Kokiri turns to follow after it.

After following at a rapid jog for a few minutes (which the Kokiri seems to handle easily), they arrive at a familiar rising of rock. The fairy rushes back to the Kokiri's shoulder, then off into the forest towards the Kokiri Village, and the girl disappears into the shadows. Link turns to the gully in the mossy rock.

Link begins running down the path, his Pegasus Boots quickly charge and send him into an effortless sprint down the path. The gully twists and turns as it winds down its long course, steep rock thrusting up on both sides. The small ravine begins to widen, and finally the rock sheers away to both sides. A meadow opens up ahead of him.

The meadow is huge, but as spacious as it is, this only seems to make the Deku tree even greater. Dominating the sprawling, green meadow is the most massive tree in the forest. Its wide trunk thrusts straight up, its true height obscured by its own branches. These mighty limbs reach wide, shading most of the meadow. Link looks into the branches and notices that hundreds of fairies flying through the spaces between its leaves.

A familiar voice booms, and Link isn't sure if he hears it with his ears or if the words appear straight in his mind. "LINK, HERO OF HYRULE. IT IS GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN." The Deku Tree pauses, as if sampling the air for an unusual scent, its eyes staring at the air far above Link's head. It murmers, but still in the heavy, booming voice, "THE DARK WORLD IS RESTLESS."

Link's eyebrow quirks. _Is restless? The old tree must mean was restless_. Link pauses before speaking to the great guardian of the eastern forest. "The King of Hyrule is deathly ill. He was frozen by an ice spell in an attack. He was thawed, but his life is still in peril. I was hoping—"

"YOU SEEK THE SAP OF THE ALIA FLOWER. MANY BUD NORTH IN THE LOST FOREST. THE FAIRY NAVI CAN GUIDE YOU."

Link nods in thanks as a blue, glowing spot of light flies towards him from the branches. _Great, more running around_. "Thank you, Deku Tree."

The young Hylian begins to turn, but the Deku Tree interrupts him with a last warning. "YOU WOULD BE WISE TO ARM YOURSELF. DARK ENERGIES FLOW, THE LIKES OF WHICH I HAVE NOT FELT IN SOME TIME."

Link raises his eyebrow, but decides to take things one step at a time. _First, the Alia Flower_. He looks to the blue glow with wings fluttering beside his head. "Okay, Navi, let's get that flower." He turns around and lets his Pegasus Boots charge for a moment before bursting into an effortless sprint. He flies through the path and north into the Lost Forest faster than a diving falcon.

Navi manages to keep up, maintaining position just above Link's right shoulder. He is surprised that she can still keep up, then notices that not only is she easily staying close, her illuminating glow is even brighter than his lamp. The fairy speaks, a slight shifting of the intensity of her blue as she does so. "We should reach a meadow with a stream running east-west. North of that stream is a series of dry groves where the forest thins."

After a few minutes of flying through the forest and searching through thin groves of trees, Link finally finds the plant with the help of Navi. It is a tough, pale green plant with thick skin and pointed leaf edges to discourage the casual creature that might want to eat it. The leaves, stem, even the closed flower bulb are thick and bulging like the Aloe Vera plant.

Link kneels next to the shrub and draws a small hunting knife from the sheath on his knight's sword scabbard. Listening to Navi's instructions, he carefully cuts away a generous portion of the stem with a bulb on the end. A thick, green, sticky substance flows from the cut. The substance quickly turns brown on contact with the air, and the portion on the plant dries and seals the damage in seconds.

Link wipes the knife on his pant leg, then sheathes it. Holding the bulb-stem carefully in his left hand, Link stands up and is about to use his ocarina to teleport himself to Kakariko when he remembers that the plant will be deformed by the teleportation. _Stupid magic_. Navi flies towards the south-west and pauses to wait for Link. He sighs and turns towards the fairy, the stem still in his hand. As he takes off into a sprint, he notices that the sap is making his skin tingle and prickle.

The moist, leaf-covered floor of the forest flies by behind him as he races to Hyrule Plains. Once reaching it, he heads north to the old potion-making witch on the outskirts of the Lost Forest, cursing the distance. Link notices that the blue glow is still following him, and just before he is about to ask about her being a forest-bound creature out in the open, she dives into his Fairy Lamp.

With everything much like before, Link continues sprinting north over Hyrule Field. Fortunately, with his Pegasus Boots, the distance shrinks rapidly and he reaches the grove just as the sun begins to set, coloring the sky an orange hue.

Spontaneously, Navi shouts, "Link, your hand! The sap is reacting with your skin!"

Link looks at his left hand and draws in a breath. Everywhere the sap has touched is a blotchy red. It seems to be blistering under extended contact. He wonders why he didn't feel it, then notices that the tingling sensation is gone. He flexes a couple fingers, and although they respond he confirms that his hand is numb in a slightly unpleasant way.

Link shivers and runs through the thick trees to the potion-maker's hut. The small fire and brewing area where she usually resides is dark and empty, so he rushes up the ladder and through the wooden door into the hut built in the huge tree.

The room is stuffy and crammed, lending an inescapable crowded feel that makes him want to leave. The walls are lined with large shelves filled with things like ridiculously-sized books and dozens on dozens of bottles. Many of the containers hold contents that Link shivers to ponder. Link realizes the potion witch's apprentice is gone when no cheery face greets him, making the hut seem even more gloomy in the dim torch lighting.

The strumming of long-nailed fingers on hard wood brings his focus to the old potion-maker behind the counter. She turns a hard eye on link and clears her throat in a raspy, nails-on-chalkboard sort of sound. In an equally unpleasant voice, she asks, "You've come for my expertise in herblore?"

Link looks down at the flower bulb in his hand. _These blisters don't look like they'll be pleasant when feeling returns_. "Uhh, yeah. Here." Link sets the bulb-stem down on the counter, then sets down a bottle. "Navi, can you..." Link looks down at his left hand, holding it carefully.

Before Link can ask about his hand, the old woman waves him away. "I don't have time to make you a salve for Alia resin, you'll have to visit the medicine man in Kakariko for that." The woman picks up the bulb with a cloth, and the bottle in her other hand, then turns into the dark backroom, the blue fairy following. The old woman's raspy voice emanates from the shadows as she disappears, "This potion will take about an hour. You might as well sit down, I'll send your magical friend for you."

Link turns around and opens the door with his right hand so he can look at the sky as the stars start coming out. He sits down, still looking at the sky. A few minutes tick by, and he flexes his hand. It doesn't respond, and his whole arm feels stiff. Link starts to stand up to head to the medicine-maker in Kakariko, then reminds himself that saving the King is more important than the discomfort in his left arm. He lifts his arm experimentally. It feels more like a lead weight attached to his shoulder than his arm.

"Link!" The Hylian knight jumps in surprise, whipping around at the voice before remembering that it belongs to the fairy the Deku Tree sent with him. The blue glow flies out from the back room into Link's fairy lamp, the witch following at a much slower pace.

The potion-making witch plops a corked glass bottle down on the counter. "Hurry up and get it to the King. It works fastest while it's hot."

Link nods and puts the bottle in a pouch on his belt. He starts to climb down the ladder, then falls when his left hand refuses to grip the rung. He plummets a short distance, but fortunately lands on his feet. He breathes a silent thanks for elven reflexes as he charges his Pegasus Boots, then takes off towards the castle.

He slips into the city easily enough, but a gaggle of guards momentarily stops him at the drawbridge into the castle, many of them staring at the fairy in his lamp. After a short explanation, they let him through and he delivers the syrupy potion to the Chief Healer. As soon as the healer turns away, Link takes his leave and sprints to Kakariko.

The young Hylian slows when he reaches the village, noticing the smell of residual smoke. He draws his lamp and Navi shines bright light, revealing that many of the buildings have been damaged by fire. Link sets the thought aside to deal with after having taken care of his hand. Fortunately, the medicine-maker's son is staffing the shop at night, and he purchases a salve.

Link trots back out into the village, applying the white, creamy substance to the red portion of his hand. The salve is opaque, so he can't see what it's doing, but he feels a mild, cool tingle start to grow in his palm and hopes it is returning to normal. Link trots outside and picks up whiffs of residual smoke again. Since he can't see any fires, he decides to head to the well at the town center.

As Link meanders towards the town square and the well dominating the center, he hears one of the villagers shouting, "You foreigners are at fault for all of this. Everything was fine until you came along!"

Link slows down and listens carefully as a new voice replies indignantly, "We helped save your village!"

"The black mages didn't attack until you conveniently appeared." Link steps around the corner and the villager, facing his direction, pauses, his eyes widening in surprise at seeing the Hylian hero. "Link!"

The two Dunlárians turn to follow the villager's gaze. Raidon quickly notes that Link has battle gear on, strong chain mail with a shield slung across his back. Link looks back at the prince and sees a large sword sheathe across the prince's back, but otherwise he is no different than the brief introduction the afternoon before.

"Is there a problem here?" Link looks tersely at the three next to the well. The villager humphs and turns to leave. Link walks cautiously towards the well, keeping his hands behind his back.

Raidon plops down on the side of the well, crossing his arms irritatedly. "I guess not. Pft. I exhaust myself trying to save those stupid villagers, and what thanks do I get? 'Go home, foreigner!' Maybe I should have blinded him with a Light spell." Raidon stretches his arms, then breaks into a wide yawn.

Link sits down on the side of the well, opposite Raidon and the other Dunlárian. _It was odd that almost as soon as the delegation arrived at the Palace, which should have been impenetrable, black mages started teleporting in and attacking. And then here_...

The adult Dunlárian begins to lie down next to the well. "'Night, prince."

The seconds tick by and Link listens, waiting for the young Dunlárian to say something. After several moments of silence, he decides that he should begin. "Um...so, tell me. Why exactly is it that you're here in Hyrule?"

Raidon leans against one of the wooden posts rising up from the side of the well. He looks tired and haggard. "It's required Dunláran tradition for betrothed to switch estates and live with their new family for the week before the marriage. Because of the war, the advisors decided not to have Zelda come to Dunlár, but I still came here to live in Hyrule." The prince yawns again.

Link looks at his left hand and thinks about Raidon's words. _She's betrothed? I wonder why I never heard anything about it_.

The prince quickly drops off. The other Dunlárian begins snoring quietly, and Link is about to chuckle when a yawn forces itself through his own mouth. Speaking to no-one in particular, he mutters, "I'm tired. Might as well go home and get some sleep."

…

* * *

… 

_Though the world had been spared destruction by unthinkable Evil, the cost was great. The evil power that flowed from the portal corrupted the land, creating the Desert of White bones and purging green from the land. Lost became the place where water and wheat flowed like the sand, the people left to survive in the rugged lands of Dunlar. None ever knew what became of the people of the rich land._

— Excerpt from the Dunlan annals of "The Golden Power"


	6. Gerudo Problems

The Legend of Zelda: The Warrior Prince:

…

…

**Chapter 5: Gerudo Problems:**

…

"Hail, High Prince Naku!" The voice of an unseen Dunlarian booms through the Hall of Feasts.

The moment the Prince steps through the doorway, all of the people in the cavernous room stand and bow. "Hail, High Prince Naku!"

Prince Naku returns the bows with a quick bow of his own, and the people return to their business, most of them eating breakfast. In the mean time Naku seeks out General Issir.

One of the "sand people" of the Gorgon Wastes, Issir quickly rose through the ranks with military cunning and unwavering loyalty to the Royal Family. His skin is dark, though his hair contrasts with a remarkably pale shade of brown. Though his position is equal to the high royal advisors, he chooses to wear a simple suit of well-padded chain mail. He looks up as the High Prince approaches. "Prince Naku, it is an honor and privelage. What can I do for the heir to the throne?"

"I haven't seen my father in the study, and it is more than an hour past sun-up. Do you know where he is?"

General Issir relaxes slightly. "I am also waiting for him. Your father is still asleep."

Prince Naku throws a dark glare at a random spot on the nearby floor. He hisses, "Doesn't he have a kingdom to run? This is wartime!" _And always I do not have 'enough authority'. Why am I not emperor yet? Father is years beyond his life_. Naku straightens and looks back at Issir, is expression calm again. "Very well, I seem to be running more of the country than he does, anyway. What news of the war do we have?"

"We were doing extremely well up until a few days ago. The siege of the Gerudo city Huunta is holding, but when the army learned the Warrior Prince had left for Hyrule and would no longer be involved in the war, morale is dropping."

Naku begins to glower again. "That stupid little brother of mine is always such trouble." He sighs. "Very well. That marriage of his can not be completed until after the Gerudo are defeated anyway. I will draft a summons to have him return to the fight."

Issir snaps into a rigid position of attention. "Yes, excellency. However...doesn't it require the emperor's express authorization to delay an arranged marriage between royal houses?"

Naku sighs in frustration, then mutters to himself. "The groom's house, the bride's house, the groom and the bride. At least two parties must request, including the parents of at least one royal house, to delay a marriage." _Of course, some rules must occasionally be bent_. The prince looks towards but not directly at Issir. "I will send one of the attendants to have my father draft the decree. In the mean time, what would we have to do to have Raidon return?"

The prince makes a half turn to the side and pulls at his lower lip in thought. Issir wisely sees that the prince was not asking him for an answer, and remains silent as the heir to the Dunlar throne ponders.

"I have it." Naku looks back at Issir. "Raidon was always quite the warrior. When he went to Hyrule, he had to sneak through Gerudo territory and left his equipment behind. I'm sure offering him weapons from the royal armory would make him feel cooperative. We may need Hyrule, but if we fail against the Gerudo the merging of the kingdoms would be meaningless."

"If I may, your excellency," Issir cautiously proposes, "Raidon is also quite attached to a particular dodongo in the royal cavalry. I would have to ask which one, but perhaps if you were to offer it as a 'returning home' gift, he would not find the will in himself to stay away?"

Naku looks cautiously at Issir, the prince's fingers still gripping his lip. Slowly, the heir's expression transforms into a smile. "I like the way you think, General. Yes, we shall do that. Scribe! Bring me some parchment for a carrier pigeon!"

A nearby woman in narrow spectacles bows and quickly shuffles off. Another attendant of the court politely steps up to Naku and bows. The prince lazily returns the bow and the man stands from his. "High Prince, a man who calls himself the 'Wizard of the Golden Land' has arrived. He said you were expecting him, and is waiting in the sunrise study. Shakan says you informed the guard, but captain Dina doesn't know about it and bars him entry."

Naku crosses his arms and narrows his eyes as he thinks. "Yes, I was waiting for him. An important visit, though I was expecting him closer to noon. Very well. Have breakfast for the two of us sent to the study, and inform the scribe where I will be so she can deliver the materials for a letter."

High Prince Naku quickly proceeds to the east wing of the castle to meet with the wizard. He arrives at almost the same time as the small team from the kitchens, who leave two modestly-sized covered trays, then quickly leave the room with their heads bowed. Four guards remain in the room, watching over the wizard. Currently, the wizard reclines on a long chair on the balcony, looking over the vegetable gardens to the east.

The prince joins him, lying casually on a recliner nearby on the balcony, facing away from the gardens and the rising sun. He claps his hands to get the guards' attention. "Guards. Leave us."

Two of the guards bow to the prince and quickly step out of the room. The other two guards remain. Being deaf, the guards can stay near for the safety of the High Prince, but will not overhear a private conversation.

The prince removes the cover from one of the trays. On the expertly crafted silver is an arrangement of lettuce, above the rather decorative leaves lie strips of marinated beef. The prince pops one into his mouth and chews slowly, enjoying the succulent meat. "So, 'wizard of the golden land'. You say you have...important business to discuss for our deal?"

The wizard plucks one of the beef strips from the tray. He answers with a melodious, almost hypnotic voice, "Indeed, young prince. You know, I tried to speak with your father. He seemed remarkably closed to outside opinions."

The prince frowns, swallowing his morsel as the wizard eats the one in his fingers. A dark look quickly passes over Naku's eyes. "My father the emperor is an old coot. He is stubborn and increasingly impulsive. Every day he becomes more and more disliked by the people, besides living well beyond his years anyway. His order of a pre-conquer marriage is just the latest and greatest of his mistakes."

The wizard swallows. "But you are not as stubborn and closed-minded as the Emperor. If only he weren't so in the way."

Naku shoots a warning look at the wizard. "Be cautious of what and how you speak. The last person who attempted to usurp the throne was Queen Jeda. She was thrown from the highest spire of the castle and buried as a commoner instead of burned as a hero or royalty."

The wizard holds out his hands in a placating gesture. "Of course, I would never threaten the Royal Family. But both of us know that a mighty power awaits. The Emperor would rather have a shameful peace, or he may neglect the kingdom into ruin, but there is another way."

The wizard opens his mouth to continue, but before he can a new deaf guard walks in from the southern entrance to the sunrise study. He walks in front of the prince and bows. The prince nods and signs, "What is it?"

The guard replies in sign, "A scribe with ink, quill, and parchment for a short messenger pigeon letter. Governor Locke has also arrived." The wizard watches with feigned disinterest to hide his irritation at not being able to understand the communication.

The prince puts his face in his hands in frustration. "Oh, yes, the letter. I need to finish that right away. And the governor, that meeting was supposed to be for the emperor at nine." He puts his hands down and faces the wizard. "If you could come back in a day? I have important matters of the kingdom to attend to." The prince then turns to the guard and signs, "Escort the wizard out and show the scribe in."

…

* * *

…

_Dunlarians became as strong as the rock and steel of their homes. Prophets said that Dunlar would once again meet the people of the rich land, but only on the brink of unfathomable chaos. The tribe of the Golden Power would return for their anarchy, and four champions would rise to save the kingdoms: Unity, Courage, Wisdom, and Power._

— Excerpt from the Dunlan annals of "The Golden Power"


	7. Correspondence

The Legend of Zelda: The Warrior Prince:

…

**Chapter 6: Correspondence**

…

Warrior Prince Raidon bounds forward, his scimitar held up at his side as he charges his next targets. He hears more Octorocks pouring at him from every side as his feet pound against the roughly hewn stone floor. With one swing, he takes down six of the tentacled beasts and the crowd cheers at his skilled performance. A rock strikes him in the back and Raidon snarls as he swings a wide arc behind him, sending another flying into pieces. Another few swings takes out the vast majority of the Octorocks in the arena.

Then a huge steel gate sealing a tunnel in the arena wall slides open. In marches in a huge opponent covered in plate-mail armor, holding the biggest battle axe Raidon has ever seen. The young Dunlarian brings his scimitar up in front, scanning his enemy for weaknesses. It walks slowly, though whether from caution or genuinely slow the prince doesn't know.

It hefts its axe and the warrior prince dives forward, rolling underneath its blow to end up behind it. He stands and swings his scimitar with all his might. His sword deflects off its armor and he rolls backwards to gain room to maneuver. When he stands back up, the crowd is booing and his enemy is disintegrating. _Odd, I know I didn't get in a good blow_. His thought is interrupted by footfalls at the wall around the underground arena.

"Warrior!" A royally dressed Hylian calls from the edge of audience seating around the arena, now empty of opponents. Raidon is about to curse to himself when the guard shouts his explanation for the interruption of his practice, "Important business requiring your attention."

Raidon's sharp eyes note two envelopes in his hand, one in the same reed-paper envelope Zelda always uses. Raidon nods and sheathes his huge scimitar in the sheathe across his back, then runs through the stairs of an open tunnel in the side of the arena, making his way to the upper level to the Hylian. The Hylian hands Raidon two envelopes as they make their way into the streets away from the city arena.

"Thank you for remembering not to use my name there." He looks at the letters in his hand, the one on the bottom is from the rapid carrier birds linking Hyrule to Dunlar, and is quickly ignored when Raidon sees the one on top. "A letter back from Zelda? Already? I only sent her a letter yesterday." _Oh, wait, we're both in Hyrule now, even both in Hyrule Castle. Of course she can reply that quickly_. The Hylian walks off, unnoticed by Raidon as he opens the letter with his steel Moon Dagger.

"Should you be reading such letters out in the open, sire?"

Raidon looks up at the Hylian attendant, looking innocently at him. The prince turns away so fast his robes whip around him. He sheathes his dagger and stuffs the letter into a pocket in his tunic as the attendant tries to hide his chuckling. The Dunlarian youth almost drops the second letter as he stuffs the one from Zelda in his tunic, and this draws his attention back to it as the castle's outer gate passes overhead.

"Naku? What in the Desert of White Bones does my brother want with me?" Raidon turns the letter over in his hands as if to examine it and see if it is a forgery. The young prince mutters, "He never hesitates to tell me how much of a bother I am. He was so eager to get rid of me..."

Now with both curiosity and the desire to distract his embarrassment from the attendant, Raidon cuts open the wax, stamped with the royal seal of Dunlar. The rolled, folded letter springs open and the prince smoothes the folds so he can read it.

_High Prince Naku, heir to the royal throne of Dunlar,  
to warrior prince Raidon, second son of Emperor Dunlar_.

Raidon sighs. "He can't miss a single opportunity to demean me. Even after I ride out to fight in the war, he finds nothing but fault."

_The war against the Gerudo has turned bitter. They have promoted a new general 'Naburu', our assassins have failed to locate and terminate her. She is organizing fierce resistance, and their last stronghold city Huunta is resisting the siege._

_You know how important this war against the Gerudo is, little brother. They are all that stands between us and the breadbasket of the world, Hyrule. Because of these complications, father has seen fit to suspend your marriage to the Hylian princess—_

"What!" Raidon roars, venting his frustration at the letter in lieu of the ability to yell directly at his irksome elder brother.

—_until the defeat of the Gerudo, which probably won't be until their last fortress in the Sandstone Arches falls._

_By the request of Grand General Issir, you are to return to Dunlar to rejoin the war. In appreciation for your speedy return, you are to be granted a small selection of your choice of weapons from the royal armory. General Issir has also seen fit to gift you with one of the royal cavalry dodongos, Dimitri_.

Raidon gawks, the delay of the marriage temporarily forgotten. "They're finally giving me Dimitri? Yes!"

_Your steed will be waiting for you with a small company of soldiers in the eastern Desert of White Bones at rally point 'Khadrin'. I am sure you know where to go. Please deliver this letter to Royal Captain Koyu, additional instructions are on the reverse side of this letter_.

Raidon looks below, the parchment crinkling in his hand as he remembers that his marriage has been stalled, probably due to his brother. _He is always meddling in my life_. To confirm that his father actually did authorize the delay, the prince looks down at the bottom of the letter. Surely enough, the orders are clearly written by a court scribe, the large letters of the king's elderly handwriting spelling out his signature, made illegible by the frailty of age.

Raidon folds the letter and places it carefully in a pocket in his tunic. He takes a deep breath, then looks to the Hylian attendant and motions for them to resume moving. The Hylian nods with a light bow and leads Raidon to the welcoming courtyard.

The entrance to Hyrule Castle no longer has any sign of having been the site of a battlefield. No scorch marks mar the walls or grass, no patches of ice encase shrubs. A mild breeze blows, ruffling the leaves of an enormous oak tree in the western half of the expansive space.

Most of the Dunlarians from the delegation stand in the courtyard under the shade of the oak tree, talking about recent events. Most of the conversation appears to center around the attacks by the mysterious black mages, but the center of that conversation stops when Koyu notices Raidon.

"My liege, it is good to see that you are well. When we heard that you were at Kakariko Village at the same time as another mórihoth attack, we were all concerned."

Raidon glares down at nothing in particular, remembering how the black mages refused to stand and face him.

"Quite strangely, they seemed to avoid fighting with the prince." Raidon turns around to see the new entrant, retainer Maldon. The youth also notices the glances exchanged by the older Dunlarians. Maldon motions to the members of the delegation and all of them save Chief Koyu follow him inside the Hylian castle.

"Chief Koyu." Raidon walks to him and draws the letter from Naku, handing it to the royal captain.

The royal captain reads his side of the letter and nods. "I suspected something like this would happen. It will put more pressure on Hyrule and could increase tensions, but I didn't think there would be an alliance while the Gerudo still stood between us." He hands the letter back to the prince, who returns it to the pocket inside his tunic. "Since you are heading back to Gerudo territory, young warrior, I believe I should return something."

The royal captain takes a flute case from his belt and hands it to the prince. "This is yours, sir. Please forgive me for not having gotten it to you sooner, I was planning on returning your flute after the welcoming ceremony." The prince nods in understanding as he takes his instrument. "Since you are going off to war, may I remove the two stones I can touch?"

The warrior prince can't contain his eagerness, "Yes, please." _If only I could have all of them taken care of now_. Of course, the captain only placed two himself, the prince knows his long-time friend and mentor doesn't have the capability of clearing any more of the irritating inhibitors.

The second stone, an irregular shape made up of numerous right angles, slips into the royal captain's hand. He bows politely, "We will meet again, my prince."

The Dunlarian youth takes off running, rushing out of Hyrule Castle and through the noon-day crowds in the city. He ignores the milling citizenry and continues running until the sound of his feet change from pounding against the wood of the drawbridge to the grass of Hyrule Field. Briefly summoning a map of Hyrule in his mind's eye, he directs a course south, around the western side of Lon Lon Village to reach Gerudo Valley.

As he nears Lon Lon Village, the warrior prince notices a figure clad in red jogging south along the western wall of the village. Since both are taking roughly the same path, Raidon drifts westwards to the village to meet the person. As he nears, he realizes the youth in red is familiar. It's the Hylian knight, their hero who defeated Ganon and fought the 'Dark World'. "Hylian!"

Link comes to an immediate stop and he spots Raidon quickly. The young knight closes the distance between them with long steps. Once close, he simply states, "I thought it was you." _Nobody else would refer to me as 'Hylian'_.

Raidon slowly resumes walking and tries to think of something to say. In Dunlar, when two people meet on the road they slow and talk. It is one reason why news spreads so quickly in Dunlar. He looks over the young knight, noting that Link has much more of his equipment now than the last time they met, and the blue glow of a fairy is also absent from his lamp. Link also holds a blue mirror in his left hand. Raidon rubs the back of his neck with his hand. "Um...so...what are you doing?"

"I've been thinking about the black mages that attacked us, and there was something familiar about how they teleported. I just wanted to check out the Dark W..." Link notices that Raidon is looking at the mirror in his hand. He puts it away in some pocket behind his back. "Never mind. What are you doing out here?"

Raidon looks down, wondering if Link saw something unusual. Aside from his flute, the prince can't see anything that he didn't have the night before. "I was going to return to Gerudo Valley. The war is intensifying, and my people need me." _And I'll finally get to see Dimitri again!_

Link, eager to get the prince away from him so he can investigate, waves goodbye. "Well, good luck. Maybe we'll see each other later."

"No, no, wait. What were you about to say? Dark what?"

Link avoids rolling his eyes. _I didn't think it'd be that easy_. "Listen, I'm sure you're curious, but this is dangerous in ways you can't even imagine. Heck, even _I_ shouldn't be doing this right now; I can't find my Moon Pearl, but at least I've got my Magic Mirror," Link holds the blue, rather otherworldly mirror. The young knight turns back to the grotto to the south, connecting Hyrule Field to one entrance of Hyrule Lake and, more importantly, holding a portal to the Dark World.

Link turns back to the grotto south of Lon Lon and resumes jogging. Raidon follows, still unsure of what the Hylian knight is doing and intensely curious. He doesn't know what exactly Link is doing, but what he said reminds him of legends of the Shadow Sphere, and the "Moon Jewel" and "Magic Mirror" contained in the myth. Raidon tenses a fist and wishes for one moment that he had listened slightly more when his brother had talked about the ancient legends he was so well versed in. _Of course, _he_ was the 'highly educated' one, and I was left with warrior duties_.

Link reaches the open gully and enters, quickly turning west. Just beyond a barrier of what appears to be dead, fallen timbers that somehow collected into a very rough wall block his path. Link takes it in stride, not even slowing down as he puts away his blue mirror and draws his Megaton Hammer. With one solid blow, the only pause in his journey, he smashes apart one of the dead tree trunks, opening a path through which he can walk. Beyond lies what looks like an ordinary small, grass meadow.

Raidon tries to follow Link though the wooden barrier, but when the young Hylian hears him stepping on the wooden shards of the gap he created, Link turns around. "No, Raidon. I have to ask you to stay back here. This is...uh...a Hylian matter."

Raidon sends a slightly confused look at Link. Raidon may have been a warrior prince, but he was still a prince. On rare occasions he had been barred from certain things for his age, but _nobody_ ever said no to him. The fact that this teen about the same age as him, and a _foreigner_ no less, just did so sent Raidon's mind careening into a stunned stupor.

Link waited, watching Raidon stand there and stare at him for about a minute before he decided that the prince from the west wasn't going anywhere. The Hylian turned around, hammer still in hands, to a boulder. It was the only object that stood out in this small wedge in the rock wall at the north-west corner of the gully. He walked up to it and smashed it with the hammer, sending shards of limestone flying. What it uncovered surprised him as much as Raidon by being told "no".

"What in all creation?"

Raidon, apparently having come out of his shock about the same time Link entered his, walked up to the patch of dirt that once sat beneath the small boulder. Though there was an odd pattern in the limestone revealed from the boulder's removal, there was nothing else unusual. No hidden tunnel, no mystical glow of energy, no bright shining lights. The prince couldn't figure out why the knight had come out all this way. "Link? What are you looking for?"

The sound of the prince's voice snaps Link back to the present. The Hylian's sharp blue eyes snap about, looking for what he _knows_ should be there. "The portal to the Dark World. It should be here. There's the markings, but where's the portal?"

Link puts away his hammer and jogs around Raidon, snapping south as soon as he passes through the gap in the dead log barriers. His walk quickly increases to a jog, then a run. Out of habit, he remains in the shallows. Raidon follows, then tries to slow in amazement at how easily Link just crossed the body of water. In Dunlar, the only above-ground bodies of water big enough to see are artificial aqueducts.

The prince isn't used to water, so his split attention doesn't catch the slippery rock just under the surface. His foot slips off and flies up into the air, his balance failing in the unfamiliar environment. He teeters over to his right side, straight into the deeper water. A huge quantity of cold and wet splashes over the young Dunlarian, momentarily washing over his face. Feeling his airways blocked in a way he had never felt before, Raidon panics and instinctively thrashes.

Link, about to charge his Pegasus Boots to head to the portal on the island in the middle of Lake Hyrule, stops when he hears splashing. He turns around to see thrashing, the disturbed water completely drowning out the prince's form. "Prince!"

Link pauses, mentally fumbling for the Dunlarian's name and failing to find it. Either way, the prince would not hear. Link decides to stop shouting and take direct action. He charges his Pegasus Boots and races back over the stretch of grass and shallows to the drowning foreigner.

The prince latches onto Link tighter than a Like-Like, but Link is both strong and prepared for the panic reaction. After wrestling the young Dunlarian out of the water the two catch their breath. Link walks up a small, nearby hill to look at the island in the center of Lake Hylia. Out of the corner of his eye he checks that the prince is fine, then he detaches his Ocarina from his belt and blows a tune. A swirl of light sweeps him up and the knight disappears before the foreign warrior can speak.

Raidon After waiting for the prince to start breathing again, Link chuckles and says, "So, I suppose you've never learned how to swim."

Raidon looks at him blankly. "...Swim?"

Link chuckles again at what he thinks is a lame joke. "Yes, swim. You know, going through the water...?" Link mimes swimming and the warrior prince continues to give him a blank stare.

"We don't have that much water in Dunlar." _Not that I ever saw. _The prince stands up. "Anyway, where were we going?"

Link scratches at his head. If the portal to the Dark World nearest his house had somehow been sealed, might all of the others? If so, how in the world would he find a way to infiltrate the Dark World again? Well... the first portal to the Dark World was in the Goron Mountains, by the Tower of Hera. Link lifts his flute and plays the first Ballad of the Wind. Light courses around him and he can feel his body growing lighter as the teleport spell picks him up and whisks him to the mountains.

Leaving Raidon standing there.

The young Dunlarian stands at the entrance to Hyrule Lake, dripping wet and dumbfounded. _I need to learn the teleport songs here_. A squat structure of carven gray stone rests on a hill to the west. _I don't remember that on the maps Zelda sent me_. Being careful to avoid the water around the structure, he decides to briefly investigate it.

…

* * *

… 

_A man with long, light brown hair in a simple if slightly ruffled ponytail stands beside her, wearing the elegant Dunlarian plate-mail that glints in unseen torch-light. A black, empty world surrounds him, though wind blows against him and his little group. A few feet behind him is Link in his red chain-mail, the Hylian knight painfully pulling himself up off the ground and reaching for his silver Master Sword. There is a fourth figure, shrouded in the black of the dream though a strangely unpleasant, familiar energy rests about him. Zelda herself is on the stranger's right, weakly swaying on her knees, one hand bracing her up from the ground and the other clutching a hole punched in her own plate-mail, blood seeping through her tattered dress._

_The stranger has a silver scimitar in his hands and he swings with blurring speed almost as great as Sir Link, knocking an unseen projectile from its path towards her. The brown-haired warrior spares a glance at her from his frentic battle, and he sees the blood flowing, the creeping weakness numbing her body. An uncountable number of emotions flash through his eyes, the chief one she sees is desperation._

_Placing his other hand on the bottom of the extended grip of his large scimitar, the wind blows harder as he hefts it back and she gasps. His ki twists, flowing into the blade, but his magic draws the very power from the unseen surroundings and mana visibly spirals up the length of the blade.__ With a roar, he swings it at an onrushing horde Zelda can sense yet not see. Huge blades of Light energy rush out, tearing through the approaching enemies like an arrow through parchment_.

…

Sapphire blue eyes slowly open on a peaceful day in Hyrule Castle. Late morning shun shines into the sparkling white marble. Zelda sits up, pushing the long silk sheets off as her handmaiden Malle steps up. Noting the look of deep concentration on the princess's face, the attendant ventures, "Is everything all right, my lady?"

Zelda blinks and looks up, perhaps not fully aware of Malle's presence until the servant spoke. With her handmaiden's help, she begins to put on today's dress, red satin with white silk. "I hade another vision with the young man."

Malle smiles. "Did you learn his name yet?" Both smile and the handmaiden finishes cinching the princess's dress. "My lady, if it is not too far from my place to ask, what else happened in your vision? You have seen the man before, but it hasn't given you this much pause before. The other times you did not look nearly so distracted."

Zelda purses her lips and starts walking towards the door. "The circumstances seemed different, and he didn't do this before. The evil coming, it feels…"

Malle keeps pace on Zelda's right, one step behind. _The young man didn't do _what_ before?_ "Feels? Feels like what, my lady?"

Zelda stops and turns to face her handmaiden, looking her in the eye to emphasize the effect. "Like Aghanim."

…

* * *

… 

Raidon stalks down the stairs, Moon Dagger in his hand as his boots quietly squish down the polished stone steps. His wet clothes cling to his limbs, making it almost impossible to move silently. A pair of familiar voices converse from deeper within the underground stone structure, but the Dunlarian can't quite understand the words.

Suddenly, he feels a rumble through his wet boots. He hears a rushing sound in the huge stone trench, from his right. Water floods through the trench underneath, rising at an alarming rate. Amazed by the quantity, he stares as the level rises until it splashes at the foundations. Raidon hurries the rest of the way across, his recent near-drowning fresh in his mind.

A large, dimly lit stone room opens up ahead of him, two columns rising up in the middle, presumably to hold up the ceiling. In the corner to Raidon's right, two figures in beige Dunlan robes stand next to a large stone lever set in the wall, near the artificial ravine.

One of them notices his royal tunic. "Prince Raidon!" They abandon the switch and run closer, bowing briefly on the threshold of six paces. Noticing the young warrior's soaked clothing, they sink to their knees and begin sputtering apology, "M...my lord! I assure you we had no intent—"

"Don't worry, I was wet before I came in." He looks around. In the canyon to their right, he can spot a lighter stone gate recessed in the steep walls. "So, what is this place?"

The two stand up. "We aren't sure, highness, that is what we were attempting to discover. Ataro here said he thought he sensed an energy like that when the Morihoth appear or disappear."

Raidon nods to the sandpeople ambassador and turns to Ataro, a swordsman hobbyist and ranking administrator of the Magi. "So, you can sense them?"

Ataro shakes his head. He humbly answers, "No, my lord, not with any certainty." He looks over the prince and wonders why the prince is soaked. "May I ask what brings you so far south?"

Raidon draws his attention from the machinery down the waterway. "Oh, I was following Link. My brother summoned me back to the war, and the Hylian teleported somewhere else in Hyrule."

Ataro hesitantly ventures, "Then...why aren't you heading to the Gerudo Pass?"

Raidon realizes he is still holding his dagger, and sheathes it. "I was...never mind."

The prince starts to turn away, and Ataro notices the youth's bracer. "Since you are returning to the battle front, may I help you with your inhibitor stones?"

The prince jerks out his arm, impatient to get the constraining object off his body. "How about the whole bracer?"

Ataro thinks for a second, then shrugs. "I think there's a safety lockout against that, but I will do as you wish." The magus reaches for the bracer and grabs it with both hands. The bracer flashes with electricity, lashing into the administrator and making him yell in pain before he jerks away. "It seems I can only unlock a piece of your fire magic, my prince."

Raidon rolls his eyes and motions for Ataro to continue. He removes a cross-shaped stone, then another four. Raidon waits for a moment, hoping the magus will take away the rest. With no further sign of cooperation, the teen tries complaining, "That's it? I'll need power when I fight the Gerudo, and I won't have Dimitri."

The magus is much bolder in his hesitation this time. "My liege, need I remind you of what happened when I tried to remove the bracer? I removed what stones I could holding back your fire mastery. I would prefer not to overstep my bounds." He holds up his hands in surrender and backs up.

Raidon sighs and gives up, Ataro never had great pain tolerance. "Do either of you know any of the teleports in Hyrule?" The two shake their heads and Raidon sighs. _I guess my only option is to walk. I wonder if the ranch in Lon Lon Village will rent a horse_.

…

A red sun hangs in the west horizon, clouds catch brilliant oranges in strips across the sky above Hyrule. The feet of Raidon's rented steed pound across the meadows in a quick gallop as he hums a war song. Taking the same lone path to the Gerudo chokepoint fortress as he took to get out, he winds through the rocky outcroppings to the Gerudo Valley.

The sun sets and the moon begins to rise before the tireless warrior reaches the first bridge. Since he doesn't have an army, or even Dimitri, he chooses to take a stealthy approach and dismounts, sending the horse back. A few scraggly shrubs are scattered through the rocky plains, the bitter smell of their berries reaching his nose long attuned from living with the sand people of the Gorgon Wastes. In the distance is the roar of the great Gerudo Falls, and beyond that target: the enemy camp.

A day of hard traveling has tested his muscles, but Raidon is not just a prince: he is a _warrior_ prince. Crouching down beside a bush, he patiently observes the outpost. Before traveling through Gerudo territory, he made sure to read the latest reports from spies. This far from Dunlar, the best they could get was from a Hylian, but the report said there was only one check on the guards when the shift changes on the fourth hour.

…

_Horse hooves hitting stone wake the prince from his drowsy state. The prince's vibrant green eyes snap open. He jerks and looks around, intensely alert and trying to tell himself that he wasn't just nodding off._

_Iron horse shoes knock up dust beside the bush Raidon is hiding under as a war horse comes to a stop. "All clear on the eastern front!" One of the guards at a basket post on top of the bridge waves, and the rider kicks the horse, setting off over the bridge and into the west, the last soldier in the guard change to leave._

_The young Dunlarian patiently waits until the horse is well away before standing up and approaching the yawning, guarded bridge at a proud, confident pace. His left hand rises from his side to slide to the hidden dagger in his tunic, leaving the weapon concealed for now._

_One of the archers notices the young man's approach and takes a moment to report – by and posture and gait, it almost seems like he owns this bridge. He points out the intruder and the other guards sit up. One of the swordsmen walk out to confront the approaching unknown figure. He pauses about six paces from Raidon, who appears to give him no attention. "You! Stop!"_

_Raidon draws closer and sidesteps, continuing forward. With a blur of speed, the prince whips out his Moon Dagger, slashes it across the unarmored throat of the Gerudo swordsman even before he realizes the young man moved. Raidon breaks into a sprint as the man drops, and the other Gerudo quake as the phantasmic images of a pack of huge, snarling wolves briefly appears around the prince._

_The young Dunlarian aims for the right wooden side of the bridge and races up as he draws his scimitar with his right, dagger still in his left._

_The near archer fumbles an arrow into her bow and lets it fly prematurely, the missile goes wide. The other archer aims and sends an arrow sailing straight at Raidon's heart. With smug confidence the Gerudo had never seen before, Raidon doesn't even put away one of his blades to summon a rough, rotating bluish cube that blocks the arrow. Before the near archer has time to nock another arrow, Raidon slashes his scimitar, cutting deep through the jugular. A downward power blow sends the Gerudo crashing back. She flops dead across the side and Raidon turns to the next archer._

_Both fear and anger flashes in the guard's eyes as he sends another arrow at his attacker. Raidon raises his magic barrier to knock that one aside too as he races over the support spanning the breadth of the bridge. The archer begins to nock another arrow, then drops his ranged weapon in a fit of terror, grabbing a stick of wood sitting in the lookout. Raidon swings his scimitar against the scrap plank. It shatters in splinters and Raidon's blade continues across the Gerudo's chest. Attempting either to escape or gain room to maneuver, he stands up on the side of the lookout. Raidon swings again and knocks the archer off the bridge._

_He leans forward to watch his plummet when the youth hears boots on the wood support from the Gerudo side. The last guard, another swordsman, is unsteadily advancing up the wooden support running along the side of the bridge. Raidon turns slowly, like an unstoppable machine. She surges forward and cross-chops. Raidon blocks with his scimitar, pushing the blades just enough to his left to tip his opponent off-balance. Her eyes widen and she throws herself in the opposite direction so she falls on the bridge instead of into the chasm. She picks herself up from the wooden surface and runs to warn the Gerudo._

_Raidon is one step ahead of her, an inhuman burst of speed briefly accompanied by another brief image of wolves beside him. By the time the Gerudo reaches the end, the young warrior is already there, dagger in one hand and gleaming scimitar in the other, standing tall and menacing as any Dunlarian warrior. Showing off with a flourished warm-up swing, he slowly but steadily advances, keeping his scimitar's momentum up._

_The Gerudo starts to back up, but Raidon is all over her. A flurry of blades seem to come at her from every direction, and though she blocks with both her swords, Raidon is faster. Finally, he slips through her guard and severs her arm at the elbow. She cries out as her arm falls to the decking, cut short when a wide scimitar blade slashes through her neck. Raidon wipes his blades clean and sheathes both, then turns around and starts walking towards the Gerudo camp._

The wavering image of the young warrior walks calmly across the rocky desert, hiding the weariness of more than a day of hard traveling. The semi-transparent projection of the crystal ball wavers and the black-clad sorceress crosses her arms, staring intently. "It is possible we underestimated the younger prince. His endurance is greater than expected."

A dark, powerful voice reaches out from the shadows. "But his prowess is not. He makes almost no use of magic."

"He _does_ have an inhibitor bracer, father." The sorceress uncrosses her arms and looks at a particular spot in the shadows.

The source of the dark voice chuckles and steps forward, bringing a thick, luxurious robe into the light but not revealing the face. Green felt and white silk swing from the gentle momentum of the step forward. "True, and this makes accurate observation more difficult. But he is still reckless."

The sorceress smiles. "He is headstrong and aggressive, but I think he has been an excellent pawn. Besides, despite having an inhibitor, he _does_ make good use of the magic he has."

The green-and-white clad figure humphs as if smiling. "He has been effective in exterminating the Gerudo, hasn't he?"

The sorceress turns around with a wide smile to gaze at the projection. Her expression instantly sours when she sees the Dunlarian warrior being overwhelmed. The figure clad in luxurious robes steps forward, finally bringing his face in the light. After a deep breath, Agahnim mutters, "It may be time for a little intervention."

…

* * *

… 

_Long without the peace of ample bread, the people of Dunlar began to turn against themselves. Emperor Tritok consulted his wisest men. If Dunlar did not reunite with the rich land, it would splinter like a wooden chair against the rock. Darkness would reign... _

— Excerpt from the Imperial Archives of "The History of Dunlar"


	8. Sirith Cave

The Legend of Zelda: The Warrior Prince

…

**Chapter 7: Sirith Cave**

…

Sweat rolls down his face as the warrior prince swings again and again, trying to cut a gap in the tightening ring of Gerudo surrounding him. Each blow carries less bower, evidence he can't hide of his growing weariness. He drops his dagger and uses his newly freed hand to send a fireball into the nearest Gerudo.

She drops her swords and stumbles backwards as flames engulf her, knocking into other Gerudo and lighting them as she flails. Raidon tries again, but only cold, dim sparks fall from his hand. The Gerudo relax a little, smirks spreading on a few faces as they realize his vulnerability.

_Damn, I'm out of mana_. Raidon grips the long handle of his scimitar and draws the blade up, looking into the eyes of one Gerudo to the next, daring them to come at him. Unfortunately, he can tell they see through his façade and know he is tiring. They close in slowly and methodically, the silence of the rocky desert emphasizing his heavy breathing.

A familiar sound reverberates through the valley, and Raidon glances about for the stretch-blur. _Morihoth?_ Screams and clashing steel rise into the night from all directions. The strict discipline vanishes from the ranks of the Gerudo. Expecting magic, Raidon is surprised to hear only melee combat.

With his diminishing strength, he wards off the three Gerudo still keeping a collected demeanor and focusing on him. Knowing that the battle almost always goes to the aggressors, he tries to press forward, but soon falls back, too weak to break through and investigate.

Fortunately, the new attackers break apart his fight, and he can identify the newcomers who mysteriously appeared and saved him. His shock at a rescue is instantly surpassed at what the rescuers are. "Stalfos!"

The massive numbers of the spawn quickly chew away at the Gerudo. Raidon takes as much advantage as he can by attacking all Gerudo in reach, but his body is beginning to fail him. With his last strength, the Dunlarian makes a high chop, decapitating the last Gerudo. The instant she falls, every single Stalfos disintegrates.

Unable to a continue holding his scimitar, the large sword begins to slip from his grasp until the tip hits the dirt. Panting from the long fight and his injuries, he wipes blood from his brow and wipes his blade before sheathing it. Raidon is exhausted from the traveling and fighting, he squeezes his eyes shut and rubs the bridge of his nose to stay awake. _Just a little while longer, soldier_.

After a few minutes of searching, he recovers his Moon Dagger. With his inventory back, and blood still seeping out of numerous cuts, he decides to swallow his pride and steal some Gerudo armor and see whatever other equipment he can pilfer. He passes over several bows, regretting never having the time to learn archery. The swords he ignores, preferring his scimitar and eager to put a pair of short leaf-blades at his sides.

At last he spots some armor his size. With no armor of his own and little other choice, the young Dunlarian dons the battle dress of the enemy. While searching their boxes for supplies, he stumbles across the perfect item: a bottle filled with one of the red Hylian healing potions. Raidon pops off the rubber stopper and downs the unnatural liquid. The cuts and wounds close and disappear, but his exhaustion remains.

Knowing that he is near fainting and being caught in an outpost full of dead Gerudo this far behind enemy lines will certainly have him executed, he takes to the mountains.

…

* * *

… 

Sparkles fall away from Link as the after-effects of the teleport spell fade. A strong wind blows towards the north, making the Hylian banners point towards the region's major feature: Hera's Tower.

Just to the north of Eyeglass Peak, the mystic structure rises out of the grounds. Supposedly build by the Ancient Hylians to protect from encroachment by the Gorons, the gleaming white marble stands out in stark contrast against the surrounding red rock. Though the threat of the Gorons ended up falling short of fears, Hylia maintained the structure and after the peace treaty it stands as a symbol of the tense, relatively stable peace between the two peoples.

To the east is a small, circular meadow nestled in the mountains, in the center is another portal to the Dark World.

Or should be.

Like back near Lake Hylia, the pattern where the portal used to be is there, but the swirling energy is absent. Link kneels down next to it and brushes his fingertips over the stone as he thinks. _I was certain they came from the Dark World, but all of the portals are sealed, just how I left them when I held the Triforce. If the Dark World had been unsealed, so should the portals_.

The sound of falling rocks alerts Link to something's approach behind him. The knight spins around and rolls to the side just in time to avoid a heavy Goron fist. Link whips out his sword and shield, crouching lightly on the balls of his feet. "What the Moldorm?"

After purging Hera's Tower of evil and defeating many of the dark monsters in the Goron Range, the mountain-dwelling Gorons had declared him a hero. Yet directly ahead of him stands an eight-foot-tall Goron with an appearance of a boulder and twice as strong.

The Goron attacks again, this time Link evades with a sidestep and forward roll to put himself behind the Goron. "What are you doing? I'm Link, son of Tragon!"

The Goron pauses to carefully look Link over, his eyes hovering over his mirror shield for a long while before moving on to his sword. "Link held the Sword of Evil's Bane!—"

"I returned that to the forest shrine you stupid Goron! I only needed it to defeat Agahnim and Ganon!" Link relaxes a little, but remains perplexed as to what this mountain-dweller is doing.

The Goron surges forward with a growl. Far more nimble, Link dances out of the way and hits the Goron with the flat side of the blade. The Goron spins around, fists swinging. Link ducks under the attack and strikes the Goron in the belly, again with the flat side of the blade. The heavyset fighter stumbles back a step. This time, instead of relying on brute strength, he steps back and picks up a large rock, heaving it with remarkable quickness for its size.

Link braces himself and holds up his mirror shield, deflecting most of the force of the blow. The Goron changes his stance to sprint at Link, but is taken by surprise when link is already rushing him. Before Goron can get his defense up, the Hylian Knight swings his sword hard, catching the great mountain creature across the stomach, winding him and sending him toppling backwards. Link backs up several yards and reaches for his boomerang.

The hulking Goron pushes himself up, but doesn't return to a fighting stance. Instead, he begins a deep throaty laugh. "Please forgive me, hero. I never met you before, and this is very serious. You understand that we couldn't trust just any elf with something so important."

With the threat gone, Link sheathes his sword. "What are you talking about? What's so important?"

The Goron puts his hands on his head in what is his expression of embarrassment. "Of course, how thoughtless of me!" He drops his arms and finishes with an out-of-place calm, "The evil has returned."

Link's eyes bug out. _They've spread this far?_ "Black mages?"

The Goron gives Link a blank stare. "No, things like before. There's more things, like Dodongos in our caves, too."

Link rubs adjusts his cap. _I did notice an unusual number of beasts on my way up here_. "So...what is it you want me to do?"

"We need you to help rid us of their nests. But first come with us! We have much to discuss before the next sunrise." The Goron turns around and trundles away at a fair pace for the ungainly mountain dweller, and Link follows after.

…

* * *

… 

"My lady—" Zelda jumps an inch in surprise, then smiles in embarrassment at her handmaiden. "...this message came from Captain of the Guard Koyu, in Prince Raidon's stead."

_In his stead?_ Zelda wonders if she heard correctly as she takes the official note. The High Princess of Hyrule turns away from the balcony and turns the folded paper over in her hand, breaking the stamped wax seal to read it.

_High Princess Zelda, due to circumstances out of Prince Raidon's control, he has been summoned back to the war against the Gerudo_.

Zelda's eyes widen a little. Raidon had been sent into intense combat several times before, but the marriage here was vital. The fact that they were pulling him out now, less than a week before the marriage, meant that things were getting serious.

_According to his majesty's royal decree, the marriage has been delayed until the end of the war_.

The princess hands the paper back and mutters, "Oh no."

The handmaiden finishes folding it and puts it in a pocket to dispose of later, asking, "What troubles you, my lady?"

Zelda turns to look out from the balcony, resting her hands on the carved stone half-height wall at the edge. The handmaiden steps next to her to listen as Zelda explains. "You remember what I told you of Dunlar?"

The handmaiden clasps her gloved hands behind her back and looks downward. "I am afraid that my memory of your betrothed's county is sketchy, highness."

Zelda thinks for a moment, collecting her knowledge. "Dunlar is a vast empire, extremely powerful. They have a pervasive warrior ethos that help unify the people, but also makes them intensely stubborn."

The handmaiden looks up. "Then why would they be so desperate for an alliance? Why wouldn't they just conquer Hyrule, if that is their way?"

"It did seem to be an anomaly to me, too. Although rich in metal, they have little food. Dunlar has been in famine for nearly a hundred years. The people are starving, and the nation is beginning to fracture." The princess lets her arms fall to her sides. "Quite simply, they need us to stay alive." She traces her finger on the wall ahead of her.

"You have been having many visions lately, haven't you, m'lady?" The handmaiden pries subtly, having been curious for days.

Zelda nods. "An evil shadow has been growing. It looms over Hyrule, but is preparing to blot out more." Zelda faces the handmaiden. "While I was meditating today, I had the clearest vision I've ever seen. The Hylian Army was at war with the Gerudo. And I think I understand what to do. Fetch the captain, I need to speak with my father."

…

* * *

… 

_In the days of Emperor Likhe Dunlar, the people struggled to eke out life in the remnants of the War of the Golden Power. In the Kai Mountains dwelt Dwarves and Dodongos, in the dry Gorgon Wastes the cunning Sandmen, in the Tebron Hills the Morhadrin._

— Excerpt from the Imperial Archives of "The History of Dunlar"


	9. To War

The Legend of Zelda: The Warrior Prince

…

**Chapter 8: To War**

…

The light of late morning spills over the mountains, slowly warming the rock cooled by the desert night. Raidon shifts in his position on a blanket pilfered the Gerudo camp, bleary-eyed and dirty by at least well-rested. After stretching, the young Dunlarian checks over his equipment, discovering the still-sealed letter from Zelda. He looks it over, considering opening it.

His eyes re-focus on the stolen Gerudo armor on the ground at his feet. "Sorry, Zelda." Raidon replaces the letter in his tunic and puts on the Gerudo breastplate, grumbling about 'shoddy craftsmanship' and 'clunky Gerudo garbage'. At the foot of a mountain range to the north-west starts a cave controlled by the Gerudo, the subterranean passage winding to the other side of Gerudo land, near Dunlar-controlled territory, according to the letter from his brother.

Without an army at his back, or even Dimitri and his trusty leaf-bladed swords at his side, he sighs and wonders how he's going to take on the Gerudo army if they show up. A brief feeling of utter isolation washes over him before the young warrior shakes his head and tries to tell himself that it is just the life of a warrior. After a sigh, the young man slinks off through enemy territory towards his objective.

…

* * *

… 

It seems like all of the Gorons are trying to talk over the nearest ones. Currently the one just to the right of the king Goron's place is complaining to the head speaker. "We already told him about them, when are we going to talk about the lost Goron?"

The mountain king cuts him off, "We can deal with that later, first we must drive back the Shadow." He looks around the oblong obsidian table in the center of the meeting room and the people sitting cross-legged around it.

Link adjusts his stance and ventures, "Well, why not tell me? I might be able to help while I'm scouring Fire Mountain of the shadow beasts."

The Gorons glance at each other and after everybody looks to the king and sees no sign of disagreement, one begins. "Not all of us live in the cities, there are lone hermits scattered throughout the mountains. It seems one of them has been caught by the Shadow."

Another Goron interrupts, "He must have the Shaking Sickness!"

The elder shoots a brief glare at the young interrupter, then continues. "He voluntarily wanders among the monsters – yet they do not bother him – and he flees from us. He acts so strangely, different even than others with the Sickness."

Link nods. "I'll keep an eye out for him." The Gorons nod in approval and thanks and everybody stands to leave. Link makes his way out of the city carved in the rock and heads west on the path to the caverns in Fire Mountain.

It doesn't take long before he encounters one of the monsters. Insectle, red, and four legged, the tektite growls, huge mandibles partially exposing a mouth lined with a putrid-looking sticky substance Link assumes to be saliva. Link steps towards it with shield in hand. The tektite shrieks and springs.

Link whips out his boomerang and lets it fly. The magical weapon homes in on the enemy, the only nearby opponent. Steel hits the soft exoskeleton of the creature and it hits the ground a stunned tangle of limbs, a growl emitting from its foul-smelling mouth. The knight catches his boomerang and draws his sword, stabbing down into its heart before it can recover from the magic weapon's stun effect.

The tektite roars as it disintegrates, leaving a world it only so recently entered. The Hylian's sensitive ears pick up shuffling against the rock behind him and he spins around. Huge mandible-fangs clang against his mirror shield.

Before the next tektite even hits the ground, Link swings his blade. Tempered steel sings through the air and crashes against the arthropod. It rears to attack and Link surges at it, determined not to lose the initiative. One swing later and the second tektite is dispatched.

Link wipes and sheathes his sword as he mutters to himself, "Odd, I thought I destroyed the last of them with the Triforce."

Further up the mountain, he runs into yet another tektite and cuts through that one as well. As he wipes his sword, he complained, "At least I haven't run into any of those gargoyles."

No sooner than the words leave his mouth than one of the very creatures, skittering along the ground crashes into the Hylian. In one nearly instantaneous motion he spins around, whips out his sword, just in time to see the short gargoyle turn to stone.

Knowing that his current weaponry isn't enough to even scratch a gargoyle in its stone form, Link growls in anger and sheathes his sword, returning to the path up the mountain, his mission to investigate exactly what is going on. On a plateau above, he spots a polished stone like the ones he used to communicate with Sahasralah. Curious, he climbs up to the crevice in which the plaque is hidden.

_Sir Link!_

Link almost jumps, feeling as surprised as Zelda sounds.

_Link! You have to return! Hyrule is about to march to war!_

He can easily sense the urgency in her voice, so he pulls out his ocarina and plays the Hylian March to teleport to the Palace. The welcoming courtyard materializes around him and he looks around in puzzlement. _With how important Zelda made it sound, I expected more people_—

"Sir Link," the princess's handmaiden approaches from a nearby bench. "Zelda has been waiting for you. The King has finally decided to assemble a battle group to confront the Gerudo. By request of the Princess, you are to lead it."

Link's eyebrows rise in surprise. _The Gerudo had been a problem for years, but we backed off when they went to war with Dunlar because they stopped attacking us_. With his agreement with the Gorons still his last obligation, he tries to put off adding another. "I'm pleased to be so honored by the princess, but why would she ask for me specifically?"

The handmaiden steps next to Link, making the hairs at the back of his neck stand on end from the invasion of his personal space. She whispers in his ear, "You are the only one she can fully trust, that is why she asked for you specifically. Your true objective is to save the Dunlarian prince Raidon, he is in trouble."

She steps back and Link calms a little. "I'll need to pick up some equipment from my home first."

Malle nods. "Very well. She thought so. The attack group is probably still assembling at Gerudo Grotto."

Link pulls out his ocarina and plays the Herder's Rite to travel to Lon Lon. A sparkling swirl envelops him, whisking him to the town square of Lon Lon Village. Several of the townsfolk wave at him as he passes, his Pegasus Boots rocketing him north out of the town. As he passes the armorist's stall, he notices most of the swords and shields are gone. The northern portcullis passes overhead and his house rises up on the left side of the road, overlooking the lanes leading into town.

Link enters his house and sets some things down on the table, looking over the shelves. In a worn wooden chest are the magic rods he acquired from his earlier adventures. While setting the box back on the shelf, he jars loose something with a handle and fine netting. Link picks it up and smiles at the bug-catching net, remembering when the boy from Kakariko gave it to him as thanks for saving him from the "evil air".

The hookshot sits on top of a stack of blankets in the other room, his other bottles packed in protective hay in a box beside that, and the Moon Pearl ... _Where did I hide that?_ Link crosses his arms, thinking intently. _I think I put it with my Magic Cape, but I can't find that either_.

With a shrug, the knight sets his things out on the table and takes a piece of dried beef to eat on the way to the fight. Puffy, white clouds dot the sky, providing occasional shade as he runs through their shadows. A few minutes and one piece of jerky later, the Hylian knight reaches the rally point in the grotto at the western edge of Hyrule Field.

The group is well equipped and eager, but judging by the way they hold their weapons they aren't well practiced in actual combat. In the back of the group he notices metal with a turquoise glint. _Odd, Hylian armor and equipment is tempered steel, it always gives off a blue shine_. "In the back, who are you?"

Four thin-faced, men all around their middle ages in comfortable-looking, form-fitting mithril plate mail step to the front. One takes a single pace ahead of the others and bows briefly. "I am Tailer of the Huunta tribe, and Royal Guard of Dunlar. When we heard that there was a chance to fight against the Gerudo we had to come. It will be an honor to fight by your side."

Link nods at the compliment. "I may not have had as intensive combat as you from Dunlar, but here are a few tips: Gerudo will try to attack from the front to distract you while another attacks on your flank. Stay in groups of at least two, and keeps your shields on hand when they have archers there to fire on you. They like to alternate between close-up and ranged combat, so you shouldn't have much of a problem predicting their next wave."

The Hylians nod appreciatively and the two Dunlarians draw their halberds. Link motions for them to sheathe their weapons. "Don't be too eager, the nearest Gerudo troops are about a quarter mile in, guarding the bridge over Coldwater Chasm."

The troops put away their weapons and they march in, the Dunlarians keeping at a wary attentiveness that only a soldier from the battlefield would have honed. After a few minutes, the large wooden bridge comes into view.

Strangely, there is no movement. The young knight's sharp eyes spot a Gerudo lying on the ground in the road leading to the bridge. He sprints ahead of the group with his Pegasus Boots to discover that the Gerudo is dead, on his back with his throat slashed open, swords not even unsheathed.

Up on the right, the archer is flopped over the side of her bucket-like lookout. In the middle of the bridge slumps the headless body of a female Gerudo swordsman, right arm lying a few feet away. Link stands up as one of the Dunlarian fighters nears him. "It seems that someone beat us here. Whoever it was must be good."

The Hylian knight purses his lips. "The next thing I can think of is a camp about another mile in, then a watch post in the mountains." Going from his memory when he last passed through Gerudo territory to reach the Desert Palace, he realizes he can't remember anything about the camp but its location.

It takes a while, but the group reaches the camp. Burned, skeletal remains of a basic watchtower thrust from the dirt, and Gerudo bodies lie scattered about, covered in blood. Link crouches down to use his tracking skills and see what he can learn. The pounded, dusty ground is cluttered with footprints. _There must have been a lot of people here_. "Fan out, search the camp. I'll check the perimeter."

The others nod and spread out and Link makes his way to the edge of the camp. Oddly, he can't find any footprints for the army that destroyed the outpost. It's as if the attackers appeared out of no-where. _No, it can't be the black mages. They can't be attacking both us and the Gerudo_.

Slight gusts of wind pick up dust from the hard, packed dirt. For some reason, a small rock jutting out of the ground catches his eye. Once reaching it, he combs over it to discover what out-of-place thing about it caught his subconscious attention. _It was kicked out of place_.

A clear line separates the lighter, more worn part of the rock which was exposed to the sun and wind and the darker half which used to be hidden by the packed dirt. Even the socket in the ground is mostly intact, the sharp edges confirming that the stone was disturbed recently. Searching keenly, he spots sporadic footprints heading north into the mountains. With nothing else to go on, he takes the approximate direction of the footprints and sprints off with his Pegasus Boots.

…

* * *

… 

His magic shell brightens as it deflects another volley of arrows. Holding out his right hand, the young Dunlarian sends a series of fireballs at the Gerudo. Unfortunately, these soldier shave shields at the ready and the iron heptagonal shields block the spells. Another full volley of arrows files at the warrior prince, and he raises his magic shell again as he continues advancing.

An arrow soars from the distance behind him, impaling an axe-wielder on the arm. Hearing another dozen arrows flit through the air from behind, Raidon chances a glance over his shoulder. A dozen Hylian knights draw arrows back in their bows, those on horse-back sweeping around to the side to flank the Gerudo before they can have the opportunity to do the same to them.

Piercing missiles criss-cross the air and shields are raised on both sides. Using his blue magic shell, Raidon deflects several more arrows before he reaches the first enemy.

The Gerudo swordsman hefts his wide blade and swings it down at the warrior prince. With a quickness that catches the inexperienced Gerudo by surprise, Raidon drops his shell, flats his hands, and catches the blades. His expression darkens as his memory of his last battle with Paldrin Jenhan brings back all of the fury he ever felt for the Gerudo.

"Die."

Lightning surges from his hands, through the conductive blade, and into the Gerudo. Raidon's opponent grits his teeth and tries to wrench his sword away, but the prince's grip is strong and the spell soon overwhelms him, drawing a scream before downing the darkly tanned swordsman.

Raidon sheathes his dagger and draws his own scimitar simultaneously to fend off an axe-wielder to his left, but as soon as their weapons clash, an arrow sails through the dark man's head. The prince glares at the red chain-mail-clad Hylian for interrupting his fight, but the combat hasn't paused and he spins on his heel to block a Gerudo axe-woman coming up behind him. The woman's greataxe is powerful, but slow. One swing through her neck is all it takes.

The Hylians reach the Gerudo and battle cries roar as clashes of steel-on-iron rise. Link parries right a Gerudo's sword and slides left, bashing her in the head with his shield. He knocks away her counter-attack with his shield while simultaneously swinging an upward slash. The Gerudo blocks easily, but now Link sees her fighting style and knows her weakness.

Adjusting his stance, he swings a series of quick blows at her midsection. She blocks each and shifts her grip on her swords to compensate. The moment her posture changes, Link makes his move. Turning the handle in his hand, he thrusts. She deflects the sword tip from slicing open her jugular, but the knight's sword spears into her shoulder, breaking through the single layer of cheap chain-mail. Her arm goes limp, giving Link the opening to stab her in the stomach, just below the breastplate.

Link ducks to let the Hylians' last volley through. The last switch to melee and crash against the already breaking enemy line.

A burly Hylian Royal Guard swings a huge spiked ball-and-chain flail, downing one Gerudo and forcing Link to dive out of the way. A Dunlarian spears a Gerudo with his mithril halberd, then whips around and breaks a Gerudo sword. A Hylian finishes off the Gerudo and looks around for his next opponent. All of the Gerudo at the mountain post lie defeated.

Link sheathes his sword and approaches the warrior prince, who sheathes his scimitar before clapping his hand on the knight's shoulder. "Link, your timing couldn't have been better. I was starting to run into trouble. How did you know where I was?"

"I was sent to rescue you. Princess Zelda saw a vision of the Gerudo killing you."

Raidon's demeanor instantly sobers. "Oh. Well, now that you're here, you can help me assault the volcanic Tundrun tunnels."

Link fidgets, trying to decide how to say 'no' to foreign royalgy. "Umm...prince? I came to save you and bring you back to Hyrule, not to fight your war."

Raidon's jaw sets. "_My_ war? I know the Gerudo, even if Zelda never told me anything about them. They raided and pillaged Hyrule whenever they felt it was convenient. They were a threat to you before they were a threat to us."

Link continues to stand there, and an exasperated prince sighs. _Fine, the only other side of the argument I can take is mine_. "Link, this war is killing my people. If we don't finish before the month's end, we'll be as dead as the Gerudo. I will _not_ abandon my people. Even if it wasn't for the stalemate at Huunta, my brother tricked my senile father into canceling the marriage until after the war."

"...Your brother?" Link taps the toes of his boots on the ground, absent-mindedly trying to rid them of mud and pass the time as he thinks. _How did a younger brother_—

"Yes, High Prince Naku. He's been meddling in the alliance since the start." A few moments pass, and still Link hasn't yielded. Instead, the young knight looks almost ready to drag the prince back to Hyrule. Raidon would rather not fight a messenger of Zelda, but he has a mission in Gerudan. "Please."

Link is taken aback with surprise. "What?"

"This is my duty, Link. I have to do this, I don't have a choice." Raidon starts pacing a few feet away from the Hylian. "Do you think I don't want to leave this war and go straight to marry Zelda? I l...I can't do this alone, but the sooner I finish this stupid war, the sooner I can go back to Hyrule." He sighs, and Link can see the weight of the world pressing down on the teen Dunlarian's shoulders.

He motions to the other Hylians to come near. "Let's go." He steps aside, opening Raidon's path back to the caverns.

Raidon smiles and takes off to the yawning mouth, waving 'move out' as he exclaims, "C'mon everybody, we've got a battle to finish!" The Dunlarians pump their halberds in the air and cheer, and the Hylians join. Link runs after the prince and the rest follow him.


	10. Caves

The Legend of Zelda: The Warrior Prince

…

**Chapter 9: Caves**

…

A pair of Gerudo sit lounging against the walls of the lava-made caverns. One sits cross-legged, a cast on her left leg and forearm, and gauze covering a fair portion of her body, burn scars protruding from under some gauze on her face. The other appears uninjured, just bored. She has her arms crossed, a bitter expression on her face as she complains, "How did I end up here?"

The other Gerudo stands up and paces lazily. "You missed and hit one of our guys with an arrow?"

The bitter Gerudo glares at the standing one. "That was an accident in a battle situation!"

She shrugs. "You asked."

As the pacer pulls out a whetting stone, the sitter snaps, "It was a rhetorical question." She leans back and bangs her fist against the stone wall. "We never do anything here! The war is to the west, we should be facing the menace there!"

"If you wanted action, you should have gone to the other side. I've had enough of Dunlar and their damn magic," She runs her hand along the gauze hiding most of her burn scars to emphasize her point, "So I'm fine back here. The Dunlarians are there," She points off down the wide tunnel. "The only people here are Hylians, and they never do anything."

Ceramic 'tinks' against the curving rock wall. Both jerk their heads to look at the black object rolling at them, a burning fuse extending from one end.

A sharp crack rips through the tunnels, the explosion blasting apart a weapons rack and sending metal flying. Link and Raidon rush into the cavern with weapons drawn. Nothing remains of the Gerudo or the table they sat around. However, the blast alerted enemy troops, starting with one hapless swordsman.

Before he takes two steps into the room, Raidon is all over him. Though he blocks the first scimitar slash, the prince's skill with the weapon is obvious. It may have taken a few days, but the years of training have finally come back to him. He keeps the large blade whistling through the air, but the swordsman cries for help before Raidon can take him down.

Two Gerudo wielding glaives round the turn ahead. An arrow flies straight through her head, clacking off the rock wall and leaving a neat hole in her forehead. The other stabs his polearm at Raidon, who narrowly twists out of the way. He holds his scimitar in his right hand and draws his Moon Dagger in his left.

Link switches weapon, snapping out a rod to shoot a bolt of ice at the swordsman. The Hylian magic encapsulates the target, instantly freezing the Gerudo. As Raidon dances back, batting away the expert polearm wielder, Link slips on his Titan Mitts and picks up the frozen Gerudo, smashing him against the fierce woman. Raidon nods in thanks and returns to the volcanic tunnels.

Link follows close behind, with the attack squad following a few yards behind him. A large, metal-banded stone door passes by on the left. Link hears it open as he passes, but by the sounds of metal clanging he can tell the knights have control of the situation, so he continues running to keep up with the aggressive Dunlarian.

The two fighters pass through a large doorway into a poorly-lit, cavernous, dome-shaped room. As they walk in, Link glances at the various doors spaced around the room's perimeter. Link's hand drifts to his hilt as he thinks, _This would be the perfect place for an_—

SLAM!

—_ambush_. The doors ahead and behind them lock shut, cutting them off from the team behind and Dunlar ahead. Most of the side doors slide sideways into the hewn rock wall and short, yellow-eyed people in Gerudo clothing, armed but lacking armor rush the two fighters as if the whips of their masters were on their backs.

Raidon immediately recognizes them, "Sand People of the east!" _I heard of them when I lived with the Sand People of the Gorgon Wastes_. A few stop at a distance, hefting spears, javelins, even a trident. Link equips his mirror shield and tosses out two bombs. Raidon fires fire bolts into the again closing mob until the throwers hurl their missiles.

He keeps his eyes on the trident as he snatches his dagger and blinks, raising his blue-colored magic shell, which knocks half a dozen of the projectiles out of the air. The Trident is the straw that breaks the camel's back, briefly collapsing Raidon's shell. The prince dives to one side. Link, master swordsman of Hyrule, was swishing his sword through the air and easily keeping the hail of projectiles at bay, until Raidon left his back. A javelin slams through Link's right leg, straight through his quadriceps.

The knight drops to one knee and growls in pain. A sandman draws his sword on the Hylian hero, but the elf's skill in swordsmanship is obvious by his ability to fend off the first scimitar-wielder and the second who falls in on his flank. Without warning, the one attempting to flank Link screams and bursts into flames.

Raidon powers through the mob, slashing and chopping with both hands. Link holds his blade behind his back, charging it with his fury, waiting until it rumbles with power. With the fighters closing in, the Hylian forces himself to a crouch and unleashes a powerful sword-spin. Along with the impossible speed of the knight's sword, it sends a wave of energy out.

Eight sandmen disintegrate under Link's attack, but the remainder continues to press forward. One sandman with a bladed mace rushes Link, so he throws his boomerang point-blank into his adversary's face. The enemy crumples and the knight whips out his fire rod and starts shooting bolts.

Four sandpeople drop, but a large scimitar plows through the fifth before Link can shoot him. Raidon sheathes his blades and motions as if throwing a light object in the air. Magic bursts and the room is suddenly brightly lit. Link grits his teeth and tightens a fist over the javelin, removing it himself.

Now that the sandpeople are gone, the elves can clearly see the room. Writing is etched around the perimeter of the room about three feet off the floor, and a mysterious star pattern of foreign rock something like blue marble dominates the center of the floor. A table rests in a small side room, a locked chest of drawers sitting on top.

Link takes a single one-legged hop towards it before Raidon stops him, grabbing by the arm and holding to steady him. "Hylian—"

"Link!" _Is it really so hard to remember my name?_ Link puts away his weaponry and grits his teeth as turns back to the table.

Raidon mentally slaps himself. _Idiot, refer to him properly!_ He kneels down and tears cloth from a dead sandman to use as a field bandage. _I wish I knew some healing magic right now_. "Link, you can't go wandering around with your leg like that."

Link sends an 'I know that, you idiot' look and snaps, "What am I supposed to do? It's not like there's a fairy fluttering around here."

Raidon tightens the last knot and stands, snapping back, "I know that."

Both spot a glistening object on a dead sandman's belt, and recognize it simultaneously. "A key!"

They glance at each other, and Raidon helps Link stand as he states, "I'll get it."

Link shifts his body weight as Raidon cuts the key ring from the dead man's belt. The Dunlarian looks over the three very different keys as he slowly paces to the side room. "I'll bet one of these will open that box."

"Sure, I'm curious about what's in the chest, too. I'll be it's a compass." Link's answer, while not entirely sarcastic, fails to remind the prince that the Hylian knight is standing in the middle of a room in enemy territory with a bleeding hole in his leg.

Due to their unusual craftsmanship, it is obvious which key goes to the chest and the metal-banded chest pops open. Raidon ruffles through papers in the unlocked drawers until he finds something important. He holds it up in the air in a classic 'eureka' gesture. "A map!" _Thank God we won't have to wander through these tunnels with just sketchy intelligence_.

He brings it to Link and the two look it over. Surprisingly few secondary tunnels twist away from the main floes, but a long, gently curving path lies before them to the Dunlan emcampment. "Link, I think there's a fairy fountain in this chamber here, shooting off from the main..." The bandage lies crumpled on the floor and his wounds are gone. The knight puts an empty bottle into his belt and Raidon tries to figure out how Link could have healed himself without a healing spell. "...What happened to... How did you do that?"

"I forgot I had a health potion." Link calmly responds as he walks into another side room to reset a switch and open the doors. Raidon sighs and marches to the west door to continue into the lava tunnels as the attack group enters the star-pattern room.

Seeing the wide, straight tunnel ahead of them, Link charges his Pegasus Boots and zooms past the Dunlarian even when the warrior breaks into an all-out sprint. Raidon smiles at the competition and shouts, "Cheater!" _I really wish I had Dimitri right now_.

As the prince sprints, he doesn't notice a magic barrier concealing a door in the side of the tunnel. The heavy clank-thump identifies the Darknut long before it marches into the alcove. Raidon spreads his feet and draws his scimitar.

Link rolls his eyes and snaps around, coming to a skidding stop. _Is he really going to stand his ground against every single foe in these caverns?_

Raidon rushes forward, sword held horizontally by both hands. The steel glances off the Darknut's thick plate-mail with no effect. The armored construct responds by lifting its six-bladed mace and swinging at Raidon's shoulders. The prince manages to get his sword in the way, but the blow sends him sailing into the air and skidding across the floor.

The Hylians draw their bows and Link does the same as he runs to Raidon's side in order to stay out of the line of fire from the attack group. Their arrows tink against its iron armor without even drawing its attention. Link reaches into his quiver and draws a silver arrow. Taking time to line up his arrow with its breastplate, he releases the arrow just as it raises its mace.

The silver tip deflects off the mace, sacred energy jolting the mace out of its hand. The deflected arrow shoots into the left shoulder, shocking the entire construct, the direct hit itself destroying the magic holding the pieces together, sending each segment of the left arm clattering to the ground.

To everyone's surprise, it picks up its mace and continues, ignoring the damage of having lost a limb. Link shoots a second silver arrow and hits the mark dead-on, the silver arrow slamming straight into the core of the construct and sending it to pieces. The knight retrieves his two arrows and the group proceeds. With their combined efforts, they pass through a mile of tunnels until a sturdy brickstone wall stretches across the passage, a ramp leading into a round-topped archway near the center.

Raidon takes out the map. "This is obviously a Gerudo trap. Maybe we should have taken that left turn at—"

"I know this place." Raidon looks up at Link's statement and sees the knight staring through the open doorway. The Hylian steps forward. _It looks just like that room in the Desert Palace I was at...last week?_ Was it that little time ago? Link draws his sword and approaches.

"Weren't you the one who said we don't have time to fight every enemy along the way?" Raidon crosses his arms, irritated that the Hylian is picking fights when he made Raidon walk away from several so far.

"This isn't 'every enemy'. I have a feeling we would've run into it even if we took one of the other routs." He stops in the doorway and half-turns. "Or would you rather leave it for a hapless group of Dunlarians who don't know what's in here?"

Raidon glares and unsheathes his dagger. He walks into the room and the attack group follows. The room is roughly dome-shaped, a slight mound in the middle, and it is completely covered in sand flowing by some magic current. The floor, even the walls all the way up are buried by sand, magic suspending the sand on the ceiling. "So, what's in here?"

"Lanmolas."

…

* * *

… 

_With a mighty will and guidance from a divine hand, Dunlar won the Kai Mountains. The dwarves became one with the empire and the imperial Urwa Foundries began, crafting weapons as mighty as that of the Ancients._

— Excerpt from the Imperial Archives of "The History of Dunlar"


	11. Lanmola

The Legend of Zelda: The Warrior Prince

…

…

**Chapter 10: Lanmola**

…

The doors slam closed and mounds rise in the sand currents. Link recognizes them with a calm sense of practice. "And leevers."

The prince and one of the Dunlarians snap to ready instantly, but the others exchange confused glances until eight of the subterranean-dwelling creatures burst above the surface. Link stands still, scanning the swirling floor for a larger mound indicating the emergence of a Lanmola as the others charge the leevers.

Sand explodes from the dome room's ceiling. Link spins around and dives out of the way just as the jaws of the Lanmola snap shut where his head was. The rock-worm twists up in its swimming-like grazing over the surface and Link wonders why they all do that as it plunges down into the sand floor.

Several arrows, which bounced off the rock-hard side, sink into the shifting sand, indicating that they were shooting at the wrong place. "Aim for its eyes and mouth! And watch out for rocks when it comes up!"

Flying sand behind him alerts Link to an approaching leever. A quick spin and a few slashes with the knight's sword dispatches the beast. Though the group is holding their ground against the leevers, more keep coming. Link looks around the room. _Strange, there were only a couple out when the Lanmola was out, when it dove, they suddenly surfaced_.

A shaking mound rises and the Lanmola surfaces with a flinging of dirt and rocks, a large chunk narrowly missing the steadfast knight. At least a dozen of the leevers shoot back under the sand, drawing Link's attention to one of the greenish ones caught above. A Dunlarian skewering a leever switches weapons and draws an arrow back, releasing the instant the feathers touch his pointed ear. His aim is excellent, striking directly into the left eye.

The giant worm-like beast roars and thrashes, smashing its body against the wall. A little sand falls from the swirling, magically suspended mass covering the dome ceiling, drawing Link's attention to an object he hadn't paid attention to before.

_It looks like a stone plug. I wonder what it's blocking_. As the desert monster plunges back into the sand, eleven leevers blast above the surface. "Hey! Try to hit it when it's near that stone cap!"

A few nod in confirmation as the Lanmola vanishes into the sandy floor, and everybody returns to fending off relentless waves of leevers. The familiar mound starts to form on the dome ceiling. Link slashes apart his small foe and whips out his Bow and an arrow. Rocks and sand fly as Lanmola rushes out with a roar. Link's arrow flies straight and true, impaling itself in the roof of Lanmola's mouth.

Dark, coppery blood sprays and the beast thrashes, flailing back and forth. Its body strikes the cap, causing the room to shake and cracking the dark gray granite. After its throe, the rock-worm turns both cold eyes to Link.

The Hylian slices a nearby leever and almost jumps. _Didn't that Dunlan Royal Guard shoot its left eye out?_ Looking closer, Link notices the eye half-closed and scabbed. Another leever approaches from one side, and Link leaps in a strong downward vertical strike. _Wait, I remember it heals when it dives under. I don't remember them healing that quickly_.

Lanmola dives into the floor, sending up a minature sandstorm and at least a dozen leevers. Link stumbles back, just to feel sand bursting up behind him. He flips forward, twisting mid-air to land facing the leever, whipping out his shield. His other hand closes around his ice rod, but he doesn't realize it until he's about to slash it.

The leever's spiny mandible appendages twitter with the anticipation of its next meal. Link shoots a blast of ice at it, freezing the creature in its tracks. Link lifts his leg to kick the already sinking form when it shatters and a scimitar blade plows out of the spreading ice shards. Raidon stands on the opposite end of the large blade, looking at Link's slung bow. Link nods in thanks.

Raidon nods back, "I wish I learned how to use those."

Link scoffs a little with surprise. "If you're a Warrior Prince, and you never learned how to shoot arrows, what did you do?"

Raidon holds out his left hand and, without needing any wide gestures or even a sound, he points his palm at a relatively nearby leever and shoots a fire bolt at it. The leever screeches and retreats under the sand as another rises behind them. Raidon jumps and slices it neatly in half down the middle before the newcomer even has the chance to fully surface.

Another mound starts to form on the dome ceiling and half of the leevers sink. Link nocks an arrow and patiently waits for his enemy to properly position itself. A few other archers begin to nock their arrows, but Link can't afford the distraction. "No, I'll take the Lanmola, focus on the leevers!"

Confused, only a few Hylians quiver their arrows until Raidon shouts in a commanding voice Link hadn't expected from someone as young as him, "Quiver your arrows and face the leevers!"

They obey and Link returns his attention to the beast. Lanmola is heading straight for Raidon, who replies with a series of fire spells, none of which have any effect on the stone-like exoskeleton. And it's past the stone cap.

Link whips his bow up and lets the arrow fly with a snap. It soars right into the beast's just healed left eye. Lanmola roars and jerks back, slamming its stony body into the cap, cracking the stone further. The beast drops into the ground in a spray of sand, with such force that Link has to turn away and squeeze his eyes shut despite the emergence of fifteen leevers.

Visibility drops to zero and Link isn't aware that a leever is approaching in the roaring of sand until it hits him. He whips around, nocks an arrow, and shoots the leever in mid-spin, all in less than a second. The small beast's spin flutters and blood spurts from the artery hit as it roars in pain. It spirals around, shrieking. The billowing sand calms enough for Link to see a mound start to rise underneath the flailing Leever.

Link is aghast when Lanmola burst up, snapping its jaws around the wounded leever. The giant worm swallows and the scabbing on its left eye starts to fade away. _So that's how it heals underground_. Blades clang against a swarm of leevers driven above-ground by Lanmola's recent dive, but now its sole focus as it rears menacingly is the Hylian knight.

Time seems to slow as it nears, jaws yawning. Link carefully draws a silver arrow and aims. Mandibles that could snap bones like twigs near the brave Hylian knight. Link relaxes his two fingers and the arrow sails into the roof of Lanmola's mouth. The beast flings itself back, bellowing in true pain from both the critical arrow hit and the silver weapon's sacred energy. Its head cracks against the gray cap, breaking it apart. Chunks fall and super-pressurized water blasts out.

Under the unfamiliar assault of the water, Lanmola separates at the segment breaks. The sand, held magically to the dome, now comes down like rain, the ceiling clearing in a circle expanding from the hole. When the Lanmola's pieces hit the floor, surprisingly little sand kicks up due to the water pouring down.

The sparkling liquid strikes the sand, magic-against-magic flaring and the sand washes away into nothingness. Leevers screech and melt under the magically-charged purifying water. In just a few minutes, the dome-shaped room transforms from a sandy stretch of the White Bones Desert to a massive, elegant – if plainly carved – room with a mottled gray step fountain dominating the center.

Wide, shallow steps lead up to each of the three doors, which are just now sliding open. The flow of water from the circular hole in the apex of the dome has lessened, now it only streams out in sparkling cascades, and fluttering around the falls are dozens of fairies. A hand claps down on his shoulder and Link jumps in surprise, spinning to face his adversary.

He recognizes Raidon just before he shoots the Dunlarian with an arrow. The prince stands tall and proud, a smile at the job well done, but the battle bloodied and battered him. Blood runs from a gash just above his eyebrow and a large slice in his left arm just beneath where the stolen Gerudo armor ends. The prince steps towards the fountain, hesitating when his foot sinks about a foot beneath the surface.

Link proceeds with more certainty, and the warrior swallows hard before following closer. Fairies sense the brave, wounded warrior and zip around him, their magic dispelling his injuries. After his health is restored, Raidon tears off the Gerudo armor and throws it into the reflective pool.

"Junk." He adjusts his equipment and sheathes his hand-and-a-half scimitar before looking up at the others. "Are we up?"

The four Royal Guard check quickly. "The attack squad is ready, lord!"

"Let's go, the royal cavalry of Dunlar await!" Raidon steps out of the fountain and checks the map. "This door leads up to an upper access to an assembly area." He points to a higher, smaller door to one side, "This way."

The others, nearer to the passage, enter first, and Link follows. A winding stair case pierces through the rock, rising more than twenty feet before leveling out and turning into an open walkway along the side of the gargantuan assembly room.

Gerudo fill it, the noise of dozens of hammers striking anvils and a mill of various activities, mostly weapon repair, make the space deafening. Dozens of soldiers patrol the paths in the sprawling floor, some pausing to check on their fellow soldiers' equipment before moving on.

Raidon starts charging a fire spell and Link knocks him into the wall. "What the hell are you doing? There must be a hundred Gerudo down there!"

"Exactly." The Dunlarian looks at the knight as if the Hylian lost his mental faculties. "What, you were just going to leave them for the next group that comes along?"

"You said Dunlar's Royal Cavalry was waiting, right? All of these tunnels are big enough to allow cavalry soldiers."

Raidon's eyes dart as he thinks. "Oh. I suppose it can wait, then."

Link's eyes roll and they exit the room. The path re-joins the wide tunnel and after a while they come to a roadblock.

"Dunlar must be just ahead. My bother said they discovered tunnels, but the alarm was always sounded before they could reach the mouth of the cave."

"Hey! Who are you?" The Gerudo spot the pointed ears on the members of the attack group, and she shouts, "Dunlarians! Attack!"

The four Gerudo keeping watch on the rear tunnel block jump and start rushing to the exit before they realize the attack is coming from the other direction. By that point, the entire attack group has weapons drawn. Twenty-four collide against four and the Hylians overwhelm the check point, and they continue without stopping to the outer checkpoint.

An arrow flits past Link's head so close it draws a line of blood straight across his ear. Link returns fire, and his doesn't miss. He switches to sword and shied to advance. A Gerudo by the entrance is shooting arrows rapid-fire with a skill that rivals Link's own, her short bow singing with malice. Link rushes at her, but she shifts her attack to hold him off.

He slows down, but his mirror shield stops each missile. Reaching swinging range, Link makes a short, upward slash, but the Gerudo narrowly leaps back, whipping out a wooden buckler. A fire bolt flings into the buckler, setting it aflame. The guard yelps and throws it away, not seeing the three follow-up bolts. The first only leaves a burn, but the second succeeds in setting her on fire. She flails, slapping at the flames, giving Link a wide opening.

He takes a high swing, slashing through the Gerudo. An alarm blasts from a horn in the distance. Everybody tenses and about half whip around to face the inside, they thought they cleared the passage. No sign of activity comes from within the caves, but another horn blares from what they now can tell is the distance in the outside. Raidon swings his sword in a universal sign for charge.

Link growls, "If the Gerudo don't kill you—"

"For Dunlar!" He bellows as he sprints out. The other Dunlarians immediately pick up the charge, followed by an exasperated Link, and soon joined by the other Hylians. The horn blows again and the sounds of battle close. Gerudo mud-brick buildings of a forward base make a circular cluster about a hundred yards beyond the cave mouth. Gerudo scramble from the buildings, rushing towards the rising dust from further beyond.

Raidon sprints all-out, and is quickly gaining distance from the group. Link charges his Pegasus boots and zooms ahead. Heavy pounding and rising dust approaches from the hilly south-west. Brown-red surges into view: a formation of dodongos. Link brings himself to a sudden, skidding stop and yelps. Having to face one dodongo he might have been prepared for, but he has no idea how to face this many.

Raidon finally catches up, breathing heavily but quickly regaining his strength. He follows Link's gaze and smiles. "The First Royal Cavalry!"

Link sees the Dunlarian's glee and almost trips on himself standing still. "You use those!"

"Of course." The prince shifts uncomfortably, itching to get back into the saddle. "They're strong, fast, and resilient. Powerful, yet civilized." _Ours anyway_. Raidon decides not to mention the herds of fierce, wild dodongos – the prince had to fight one into a form of submission before he was allowed to join the cavalry. Another horn blows and Raidon sprints off.

The knight shakes his head and mutters to himself, "He must be insane." He draws his weapons as the others begin to catch up and follows Raidon into the fray.

Though dozens and dozens of Gerudo soldiers face them, the desert-dwellers break like water on the rocks against the Dunlarian cavalry charge and surprise Hylian attack from the rear. Spearmen, confused by the multiple fronts, fail to form against the dodongos and swordsmen are pushed into the charging cavalry's path.

Dodongo-riders wield glaives from their standing-position saddles, thrusting and slashing with practiced, fluid grace. The dodongos rumble past the Hylians like a mighty avalanche down a mountain draw. Once they pass, it seems like everything becomes a chaotic flurry of blades. All Link can do is swing and respond.

Minutes pass with the Gerudo numbers dwindling, but the fight still fiercely rages. A dual-sworded Gerudo in gray breastplate strafes at him when something big and brown comes barreling at her from the side. Link stares in wide-eyed shock as the dodongo opens its mouth and clamps its jaws around the sword-woman with a crunch.

She screams and thrashes. The dodongo opens its mouth, then snaps shut, swallowing her whole. The rider pulls back around and stops next to Link, who doesn't recognize Raidon until he shouts, "Can you ride standing saddle?"

Link looks at the harness. _Uhhh..._ He looks at how Raidon is standing in his spot forward in the 'saddle'. _Doesn't look so hard_. "Yes!"

"Get on! You can use your bow!" Raidon yells above the cacophony of noise.

Link looks at the big beast's back and takes a second to find the second spot on the battle harness. The oversized lizard kneels to help Link get on. As soon as the knight seats his feet in the stirrups, it stands and Raidon kicks its sides. The dodongo takes off at a remarkably fast gallop for what seemed such a big creature.

Link nocks an arrow, fires, and leans forward to ask, "Where are we going?"

The dodongo cocks his head up to listen to Raidon's answer as the warrior prince lifts his glaive towards the thick of fighting, the unknown deserts of the west stretching out beyond. "To battle!" As he lifts the glaive, he glares at the Gerudo ahead and whispers, "Jenhan, I will avenge you."

…

* * *

… 

_It seems Dunlar had only just taken the Kai Mountains when the "Reyuu Tribe" of dragons came, claiming all as their own and declaring war. No arrow pierced their hides and no magic touched their bodies. It seemed all hope was lost..._

— Excerpt from the Imperial Archives of "The History of Dunlar"


	12. Camp David

The Legend of Zelda: The Warrior Prince

…

…

**Chapter 11: Camp David**

…

Large, wide feet plod softly across the desert landscape at a quick yet gentle pace. Raidon's skill with the glaive was unparalleled, and his magic shell deflected what must have been hundreds of arrows, but there were a large number of Gerudo archers and it was only a matter of time before he dropped his barrier to focus on direct combat. Several marksmen shot an arrow into his chest, one narrowly missing his heart and puncturing his left lung. The long arrow pierced all the way through him, the barbed head and three inches of the shaft extend from Raidon's back.

Link leans to the side to look at the wounded prince. They passed a guard point and now finally are actually entering a rather large camp with various animal-skin hide tents. He glances around, but the Hylian can't see a single familiar cloth tent, all of them are from skins. Many Dunlarians walk about, all of them walking at a quick pace, not rushing but still moving with definite purpose. Occasionally one will glance at Raidon and bow at the waist as Dimitri continues forward.

A pair of guards stand at the entrance to a new area, one so old his hair has turned entirely white and a notch missing from his left ear but his eyes alert. The animal under them twists its neck to look at Raidon and Link could swear it was about to speak when the prince, slightly delirious from blood loss that would have made the knight pass out, snaps, "Just get me to the healers' tents..."

He trails off and Link can tell it's from the wound caused by the arrow, blood still seeping into his tunic. The dodongo stops and Link looks up. They have reached a wide tent, the reptilian steed kneeling to ease his wounded rider's dismount. Link sweeps his legs over and drops down before the prince can get himself out of the stirrups.

A series of long tents stretch out before them, the rank smell of blood pervading the area. Dunlarians in red tunics, many wet with what Link assumes blood, rush back and forth. Noticing that Raidon still hasn't gotten off, the dodongo kneels as low as it can, fully lying on its left legs. The prince starts to slip off, his dignified coordination slipping away with his consciousness.

Link dodges forward and grabs the stubborn warrior, trying not to disturb the arrow impaling his chest. Two nurses rush up and grab Raidon. Link releases the prince and waits a moment before trying to enter the tent when he hears a deep growl. Slowly, very slowly, he turns to see the dodongo on his right, growling at his forward motion. Link steps back and the giant lizard-beast relaxes a little.

He steps back again and his boot crinkles paper. Curious, he moves his foot and kneels down to pick up the pinkish envelope, sealed with wax stamped with the royal Hylian Family Seal. Letters in Zelda's handwriting address it to "Raidon Dunlar." Link makes a mental note to give it to the prince later and tucks it away in a pouch.

Link closes his hands into loose fists and taps them together as he stands and waits outside the tent. "Well, it looks like I'm going to be here for a little while."

…

* * *

… 

Rough hands shake at his dusty red mail. "Wake up!"

Link opens his bleary eyes and doesn't even need to clearly see Raidon to know it's him. Judging by the light, it's still night time. "Ugh. What's going on? Another midnight raid?"

Raidon glances at the Hylian as if he was joking. "We're moving. C'mon, how late do you Hylians get up?"

"Most of us wait until dawn!" The knight snaps, irritated at having to be woken from a good sleep several times over the past few days. _I'm starting to regret agreeing to stay with the Dunlarians_.

The prince walks to the small entrance to the squat, spartan tent and opens the flap. "It is dawn."

Link rubs the sleep from his eyes and resists the urge to growl. Raidon is definitely one of those most accursed folk: a morning person. _He must be confused about the difference between first light and true dawn_.

However, once Raidon is up, he doesn't let members of his attack group get back to sleep, so the knight grudgingly gets up from his very comfortable, warm bedroll. He didn't expect it, but in the desert after the sun goes down, it can get quite chilly. Raidon steps out and Link follows. The dodongo waits sitting outside, its battle harness already on.

Link puts his dark violet cap on and asks, "Where are we going so early in the morning?"

The Dunlarian throws a pack on the dodongo and begins tightening straps so it will remain secure. "Back to Hyrule. General Issir tells me the cavalry battle yesterday broke the back of the Gerudo...outside Huunta. And I'm eager to get back to Hylia."

"And that princess you like so much?"

Raidon blushes and smacks the dodongo, leaning closer to hiss, "Shut up, Dimitri, not in front of Link!"

Dimitri chuckles and Raidon leaps up onto the front saddle. "C'mon, Link."

They Hylian continues to stand there, agape at the talking dodongo.

Raidon leans down in the saddle and asks Dimitri, "What's he staring at?"

"I think he's gaping at me."

Raidon's eyebrows rise, but he can't figure out why Link would stare. After all, he grew up with royal dodongos, he doesn't understand the Hylian's lack of experience. After another few moments of staring, Raidon rolls his eyes and mutters, "Hylians...Hey, Link! Get up here and let's get going!"

The Hylian snaps out of his stunned stupor and stammers, "I...i...it talks!"

"Of course I talk, I'm Royal Cavalry." Dimitri turns his nose up slightly, his tone more prideful than smug.

Raidon interrupts. "Okay, I _know_ there are dodongos in Hyrule because you weren't this shocked when you first saw Dimitri."

Link crosses his arms. "First of all, I was just as shocked then, and second, he never talked before!"

Raidon opens his mouth to say something slightly belittling and the dodongo interrupts, "Can we continue this discussion on the way? You may not think anything special of it, having grown up there, but _I_ would like to see Hyrule."

Dimitri kneels and this time Link mounts the second seat of the saddle. Dimitri starts off at a light trot, but steadily increases speed to a strong gallop. As the giant lizard-like creature runs, Link takes some time to peacefully sit back and examine the magnificent, fearsome beast.

As the giant lizard runs, the body swings side to side. "...like a fish."

Raidon shifts on his seat on a folded blanket to turn and ask, "What's a fish?"

If Link wasn't looking straight at the Dunlarian, he would have done a double-take. "Wha...?" _Wait, that's right. He's probably never seen a river or lake, of course he wouldn't know what a fish is_. "It's a silver-colored animal covered in scales. They swim...wait, you don't know what that means."

The Hylian purses his lips and tries to think of how to explain swimming to the two when Dimitri speaks up. "I can swim."

"What is 'swim'?"

"It's easier demonstrated than explained, master." Dimitri looks back ahead and slows down slightly as he clambers over some rougher, rocky terrain.

"Just a minute, how is it that you know how to swim, but Raidon's never even heard of it?"

Dimitri continues a gallop over the uneven terrain, but Link could swear he felt a shrug. "He should have heard of it, but he _is_ from the Light Realm. I grew up in the Shadow Realm for a few years."

A flashback of warping to the Pyramid of Power pops into his head, and Link leans around Raidon to peep, "The what?"

Mountains shoot up around them and the terrain is becoming increasingly rough. One of the tunnel mouths opens up before them and Dimitri asks, "Which way through the tunnels?"

Raidon thinks for a moment, so Link helpfully provides, "I memorized a few routes through, just keep going." Link tugs at his tunic. "So, it sounds like the war against the Gerudo is almost done."

Raidon humphs. "Not nearly." _I only wish it was so close. Then again, if we break through too soon, the hawks will want to war with Hyrule_.

"But they only have one city left." Link ducks to the left and Raidon ducks to the right as they pass a low point in the lava tunnel ceiling.

The prince half-turns again to continue the conversation. "Only one fortress city, but it's in the only pass through the Du'hara mountains, our only route to Hyrule. Well except for these tunnel networks, but we can't have a commercial route through a cave – low ceiling."

The two duck low, chests brushing the steadily walking great lizard. Raidon continues, "They also control plenty of smaller forts, towers, and at least a dozen camps that we know of. Spies indicate there may be at least two cities they control that we haven't even found yet. Minus two camps now, but from what Issir told me, a new general took command of Huunta."

Link grabs a tighter hold on Dimitri as he speeds up and climbs over a rough portion of the tunnel. "Have you fought her personally?"

"No, I've never fought in the siege of Huunta. I've been in plenty of others, but for the most part I work with Dimitri and cavalry are for open battles."

"No, Dimitri! Left tunnel!" The dodongo stops and backs up a step to follow the correct path.

Dimitri tries to save face by arguing with Link. "Last time we went right."

"And last time we were hunting for Gerudo, now we just want to get home." The stone slopes up and a large arch passes around them. The large fountain dominating most of the room reminds Link of what happened here before, this was the Lanmola's room.

Raidon tosses a question over his shoulder as Dimitri tries to pick his way around the reflective pools, unsure of their depth. "Do you remember the fight we had in here?"

"Yep. Dimitri, just walk straight through, it only comes up to my knee when I'm on foot." The knight returns his attention to the prince. "First time in a while that I used my Silver Arrows."

As Dimitri splashes through, he asks, "What sort of monster was it, master?"

He looks back at Link and extends the invitation to the Hylian, hoping he knows more about Lanmolas than he. "You were the one who defeated it."

Link groans at being stuck with the question. "It's called a 'Lanmola' in Hyrule and Gerudan. They live underground, expecially in sands. They've got tough, rock-like armor everywhere except the eyes and mouth, those are their only vulnerable points. I had to take down three at once in the Desert Palace."

Dimitri shakes off some water before he continues through the tunnels. "Fight a Gorgon sandworm, then I'll be impressed."

He resumes a gallop and Raidon scolds, "Now Dimitri, it wasn't any pushover. Its armored hide was immune to all of the magic I threw against it. It seemed more stiff than a sandworm, and it had a segmented body that was smaller, and an unnatural green color instead of brown like a sandworm. What is this, right or left?"

"Take the left. So, what's a sandworm like?"

Raidon looks up and exhales. "They're usually pretty big, quick, with a dark surface, and they're kinda hard to spot."

"How do you see one coming?"

The prince chuckles. "The ground opens up beneath you." Dimitri chuckles, and Link assumes it's an inside joke.

Dimitri crosses out of the mouth into daylight. "Is this Hyrule?"

Raidon answers. "No, this is still Gerudan. Occupied by Hurle now, maybe they'll claim it until the kingdoms merge."

Link tugs at his cap in an attempt to get it to keep the sun out of his eyes. "Probably not. Too inhospitable for most of us."

"I see activity in that camp." Dimitri jerks his snout towards what was the Gerudo camp, its lookout tower replaced and the fresh lumber still bright even against the harsh desert winds.

"That's us. The princess brought us into the war, and we're just using their facilities."

Dimitri seems to have his curiosity satiated, so he directs his attention to the journey.

Link asks, partially teasing, "So, now that you're done fighting, are you going to see Princess Zelda?"

Raidon replies plainly, "Can't."

Link stops fiddling with his purple cap and takes it off to try and fix it. "Why not? You're going to the palace, she's right there."

"It's not allowed." Raidon recites the rule from memory, clearly not believing in it. "'The two to be married are not to meet until the wedding ceremony'."

The Hylian rolls his eyes. "What kind of stupid rule is that?"

"It's an old rule to protect alliances. What happened once was Prince Ananias snuck off to see his bride-to-be. The Chuun clan sent a seductress who pretended to be Princess Halah. When Halah's family found out he slept with another woman – he was impure – they declared war. It was a long time until they learned the fault was the Chuun clan, which they destroyed. Every man, woman, and child."

Link stares at the Dunlarian sitting ahead of him. _Every man, woman, and child?_ "Oh. I guess it makes now. Are there a lot of rules like that in your marriage traditions?"

"In _mine_, I suppose. Lower-class marriages can't run the risk of shattering alliances. I'm a prince, I'm held to higher standards."

The Hylian puts his purple hat back on. "Could I ask some?"

Dimitri is beginning to speed up his gallop. Raidon kicks him and says a little louder than strictly necessary for Link to hear, "Sure, the ride is bound to take a while."

Link fidgets in his seat a little. "If you're never allowed to personally meet, is the wedding the first time you have any contact?"

"No. At least six months of correspondence are required. Most of the time. Mine seems a little rushed, I only had four months, but I'm still in the Changing of the Houses. That's basically where the bride and groom switch, they go to live in the house of the other. That way, the families can decide if they fully approve of the groom, and the family he represents."

Link silently ponders for a little while. "But Zelda's still in Hyrule." _If Dunlar snuck you here, why didn't they smuggle her there?_

Raidon looks at Link, his expression clearly stating what he can't say out loud. _We don't really have a choice, Dunlar has to accept Zelda if we want to survive_.

Tactly, Link decides to shift the conversation. "Umm...I saw you using a lot of fire magic. Were you just born with it?"

"Yes, magic runs pretty strongly in my family, especially in me. My lineage _does_ trace back to Miihat the Sage."

Link scratches his head in thought. _That sounds familiar_. "Miihat the Sage?"

"Yes, of the seven sages in the War of the Golden Power."

Link goes rigid. "You're a descendant of one of the sages?" _How?_ The Hylian starts to open his mouth to ask when Raidon interrupts.

"Listen, I don't want to talk about my lineage right now. There's still a few parts of our heritage we're trying to wipe away." Dimitri looks up at Raidon, a pained look of pity clear. The prince kicks lightly and the dodongo complies by speeding up.

As the gallop increases, Link notices two new sheathed swords bouncing at Raidon's waist. He remembered Raidon receiving them after seeing the healers and using them quite effectively in the fighting against the Gerudo over the past few days. "You were pretty good with those short swords."

The Dunlarian fingers the handle of one and smiles. "My favorite weapons. These and magic. Can you cast magic?"

"Sort of. Not as well as you." _Come to think of it, he's never needed a rod or some...what did he call it...'focus mechanism'_. "How do you do it?"

Raidon shrugs. "I'm not entirely sure how. I was just born with powerful magic, though I've had a lot of good teachers and all of them taught me to cast spells without needing some 'clumsy stick'." The prince reveals a small smile, one of his few true relaxed expressions, and Link chuckles with him. "I've also trained since I was a little boy to make my spells more..."

The Hylian waits as the prince tries to think of another word for 'power', but can't, so he helpfully supplies, "Destructive?"

"Well, yes. I was trying to think of a better word, but I guess that fits. Zelda tells me that training in Hyrule is different."

Link snorts and mentions, "Yea...they actually teach you to control it instead of just unleash it."

"Hey, I know how to cast fire spells _very_ well!"

"You set me on fire three times. And I wear chain-mail."

Raidon huffs indignantly. "Did I or did I not stop those Gerudo?"

"You set me on fire!"

Dimitri chuckles and Raidon kicks him. "You hush. And hurry up, we want to reach Hyrule today."

"All right, all right. You'll get back to your princess soon enough." Raidon blushes and stares intently forward, hoping link can't see. After rounding a corner in the craggy path, Gerudo Falls swing into view, and the wooden bridge spanning it. "Can this bridge support my weight?"

Link waves his concern off. "Of course. We had eight fully-loaded supply wagons cross this at once."

"Just checking." Dimitri resumes the gallop and Link waves to the Hylian guards so they don't shoot the strange entourage.

A few minutes later, they exit the valley and emerge into Hyrule Plains. "And _this_ is Hyrule."

Dimitri gawks openly. "Wow, this has even more plants than the Dunlan Shadow Realm." He pauses and looks at a column of smoke rising in the distance, originating from roughly the center of the grassy plains. "Is that a ceremonial fire, or is that smoke for a special watch?"

Link squints and looks at the thickening black smoke. "Neither, today's just an ordinary Tuesday." Dimitro ssnses the unspoken worry in Link's voice and takes off at a rapid gallop straight to Lon Lon Village, the burning city slowly rising into view.

…

* * *

… 

_A hero appeared from the clan of Ni'sar with the silver Spear of Light, a relic from the War of Golden Power. He gave his life and broke the spear, but he slew the first of the dragons. Master dwarves re-forged the spear and the ancient art of silver weapons was re-discovered. Soon the sacred weapons drove away the dragons with their breathing magic, and the tide turned against the invaders from the sky._

— Excerpt from the Imperial Archives of "The History of Dunlar"


	13. Call of Gold

The Legend of Zelda: The Warrior Prince

…

…

**Chapter 12: Call of Gold**

…

Link squints and looks at the thickening black smoke. "Neither, today's just an ordinary Tuesday." Dimitri senses the unspoken worry in Link's voice and takes off at a rapid gallop straight to Lon Lon Village, the burning city slowly rising into view.

"No, to the north! Angle to the north!" _Please let uncle Krono's house be all right!_

Dimitri is still galloping straight to the village, having no idea about Link's house. "To the north of – ohh, just let me off!" Raidon pulls the harness and Dimitri skids to a stop, allowing Link to jump off. The Hylian sprints off with his Pegasus boots before Dimitri can even stand back up.

Dimitri starts to slow and turns his head to glance at Raidon. "To the city, or should I follow him?"

The prince shrugs. "Link's always known what he was doing before, and this _is_ his home. Follow him." Dimitri faces front and races ahead. Though Link's enchanted boots grant him mystical speed, Dimitri is a strong, highly trained Royal Cavalry and slowly closes with Link just as the Hylian reaches a small house on a hill north of the burning village.

The Dunlarian can still hear magic spells coming from the walled settlement. "Link! The village is under attack by the Morihoth!" Not waiting, he turns his ride around to face the coming adversaries.

Dimitri bellows and turns to charge a Morihoth broadswordsman come from the smoking village. Link gives up and exits his trashed house just in time to see Dimitri slam over the swordsman, crushing him under his heavy feet. Another three Morihoth hesitantly advance through the north gate.

Dimitri charges, slamming his stub-horned snout into the first with a left-sweeping blow, sending him smashing into the base of the porticullus; then catching the second with a reverse sweep of the head. The third backs against the wall and engages Raidon with a bow.

The Dunlarian whips out his leaf-bladed short-swords and bats away the arrows with obvious practice, but with some difficulty. An ice bolt from Link strikes the Morihoth archer. Raidon sheathes his short swords, unsheathes the glaive from the harness, and stabs at the archer. The frozen enemy tips backwards and shatters into huge fragments.

Link charges past on his Pegasus Boots, shouting, "Get to the town hall, that's where most of the villagers would fall back!"

Raidon nods and they race down the street. A familiar _BREEE_ sound catches his ear and both come to a halt at the exact instant Morihoth pour from behind cover, before either can ready weapons. Many magi attack, sending lightning bolts at all three combatants.

Link sends back the bolts with his mirror shield and Dimitri's armored hide resists the magic, but Raidon is hit from behind and caught by surprise. The shock-blast of a ball lightning knocks him off Dimitri. Raidon responds with firebolts, a grin on his face at the challenge of magic.

Lightning hurls at him and he holds out his left arm, using the inhibitor to absorb the brunt of the blow as he lifts his leaf-blade in the other. He charges a Morihoth at the same time as Link.

An uneasy feeling begins to settle in Raidon's stomach when the black-clad mage ceases shooting them and just stands still... he can almost see a smile on the mage's face. The prince and knight pull back to swing at the same time. The mage crosses his arms, and the instant his hands clasp, the world rips away.

Link experiences the familiar sensation of the ground falling away while at the same time his feet remaining on something solid as the world blurs away around him. A new village stretches from nothingness into being around him. A heartbeat passes and with a puff, his body transforms into something midway between himself and a rabbit.

Beside him, still in Dunlan steel armor, stands a wolf-man, snarling at the black mage. Link tries to grab for his sword, which mysteriously found its way to his sheathe, but his rabbit paws lack opposable thumbs and he can't grip any of his weapons.

A fox-man, a Nerun, with a long, straight dagger comes barreling at him. Link hops a few feet back, then jumps up and thumps both of his oversized rabbit feet into the fox's chest, sending the dark world inhabitant flying, winded. It jumps up and Link hops off, running as fast as he can,his Pegasus Boots forgotten in the excitement of returning to the Dark World.

The fox dashes off after Link and the knight-transformed-rabbit, unable to use his armory, flees. Fortunately, this Dark World parallel village layout is virtually identical to Lon Lon, with a burned-out orbombed-out look to many buildings. Walls of structures, standing and fallen fly by, and while this is the fox's home territory, he is surprised with how well the pink-furred, red chain-mail-clad newcomer is doing.

As Link races through the village, he looks back at his pursuer, iron dagger still in hand but running short on breath. He hears voices and just before he can turn around his shins smack into something wooden and solid. The rabbit-Link tumbles through the air and knocks over another fox-man, a vegetable stall collapsing behind them.

Link bolts up as his pursuer nears and the Nerun he knocked over draws a short sword and stands. Before either can move, a stretch-blur teleport introduces three Morihoth wizards. "Oh, _cra_—"

A second-story window shatters and an armored wolf-man falls out, clawing, and slashing with a Dunlan Moon Dagger. The victim, a moblin, hits the cobblestone with an unpleasant 'thunk', with the transformed Dunlarian prince landing on top. He raises his curved dagger, but a near-miss firebolt that flies in front of his nose grabs his attention.

Raidon whips his head up and snarles, bearing sharp teeth. The same Morihoth who missed steps forward, trying to put forth a bold front. The warrior prince, not to be bested, stands to his full height, the hair along his spine bristling, ears flattened back against his head and the low growl rumbling from deep in his throat only intensifying.

The wizard sweeps his arm and shoots another firebolt, hitting the prince square in the chest Plate of his elaborate, flexible, form-fitting armor. The minor spell has little more effect than making him mad. Raidon springs and closes faster than the Morihoth are prepared to handle, sending two running as he slashes at the lead wizard. That one backpedals, spins on his heel, and runs away remarkably quickly.

Raidon bounds off in pursuit, followed shortly by Link. Though Raidon doesn't know his way around, Link notices that the inexperienced mage does, and he is clearly heading somewhere in specific.

After a few turns, the Hylian suspects the destination. _The barracks? I forget, is that still standing in the Dark World?_ The next turn answers him with a gargantuan, looming complex in place of the simple Light World barracks.

A yawning entry greets them as they chase the Morihoth into the courtyard. White plaster-covered walls rise up from speckled sandstone paving stones making large formation pads. Just forward of the central formation pad lies a twisting pattern.

_In the Dark World...?_ The wizard runs all-out towards the pattern, reaching to his pendant, but Raidon is faster.

Magic flares from the pendant at the same time that the Dunlarian stabs his blade through the back of his neck, dropping the black-clad enemy. Raidon examines the wizard's pendant as Link looks at the portal, exactly what he had been searching for since his failed investigation near Lake Hylia a week ago, but this portal must lead back to the Light World, and it was activated by—

"Damn it!"

Link stands up and returns his focus to the prince and pendant. Raidon has sheathed his dagger and fumbles with the Morihoth's pendant. Link bounds closer and examines it. "Didn't that have another little stone—"

"YES!" The prince roars, then looks away in embarrassment for his outburst. Finally, he gets his clawed, wolf-like hands around it and picks it up. "I was trying to remove the clasp when it popped off and flew into the ground. One of the stones shattered into dust. At least I think I know how to work it."

Link checks his belt and is thankful to find that his paws can still close on the blue mirror. "I've still got my magic mirror, I can get back. You take the portal."

"No, it's active right now. I need to know for certain I can activate it, so you have to go through."

"But then how will you get to the Light World?"

Raidon looks at Link as if he was deaf and stupid before holding up the pendant. "With this! It looks like simple magic, I _know_ I can. But you have to go first."

Link is about to point out how foolhardy the Dunlarian's plan is when he decides he won't be able to dissuade the stubborn prince. "Very well. Just come through right behind me."

Raidon looks down, images of Dunlar, Dimitri, and his mental image of Zelda passing through his mind. "Link, I have plenty of things to live for in the Light Realm. I don't plan on trapping myself here."

Link can only nod at the statement that suddenly makes the prince seem mature beyond his years. Just as every time before, the world stretch-blurs around him and the Light World's Lon Lon Village takes shape around him, his body returning to normal along with the scene.

Link walks slowly forward, looking at the burning city. He completes a full 360 degree turn, but Raidon still hasn't appeared. Guilt tugs at his heart. _I knew I should have made him go_.

_BREEE!_

"Okay, that worked a little differently than I – drop!"

Link complies, and a very painful-looking, spiked, crystalline ice ball flies overhead. The knight springs up and draws sword and shield. What he sees makes his blood run cold.

A tall archwizard slowly walks towards them, his pace like that of a lion following a wounded gazelle. He wears a black top and boots like the other Morihoth, but this wizard has white pants that seem to blow by a breeze the wizard's own. Instead of just a closed fabric hood, a velvet cloak drapes over his shoulders, so black it seems to draw all shadows to it; a billowing hood over the head completing the appearance of a reaper of the dead.

He lifts up his gloved left hand, and a ball of plasma grows until it's almost the size of his head, when he releases it at the knight.

_A huge plasma sphere pulses in the crackling space between Aghanim's hands, and a heartbeat passes before he throws it at Link. The knight swings the Master Sword_...

The knight is halfway through his swing before he realizes a crucial fact.

Knight's sword.

Master Sword.

_Uh-oh_. The ball hits his sword and zaps straight through the conductive steel blade. Every muscle clenches painfully and Link grunts but keeps hold of his blade. A peasant Link hadn't noticed before rushes at the archwizard with a broadsword clutched in both hands. The Morihoth rotates his arm and a bolt of lightning sails into the peasant, lifts him into the air, then begins repeatedly smashing him into a nearby building.

Raidon draws his short swords and breaks into a sudden sprint. The wizard holds the lighting bolt and points his other hand, index finger held an inch from the thumb. Simultaneously, Raidon floats up in the air, drops his swords, and claws at his throat.

Link quickly sheathes his sword and draws his fire rod. When the wizard sees the fiery bolt and releases Raidon, holding his palm out. The bolt impacts his hand and dissipates in a harmless splatter. While the Morihoth was distracted, Link throws his mirror shield to the prince. "Keep him busy!"

The wizard shifts his focus to the Hylian knight and Link whips out his ocarina, belting out the Minuet of Forest as fast as he can. A sparkling swirl envelops him at the same time as a massive chain of lightning strikes through where he was.

…

* * *

… 

He appears in the Deku Tree's meadow. _I wish I knew my way around the Lost Forest, then this would be faster_. "Deku Tree! I need the Master Sword!"

"LATE HAS BEEN YOUR COMING FOR THIS NEED."

A blue glow flutters down from the branches. "Link! It is an honor to work with an el—"

"Hurry, there's no time! I need the Master Sword now!"

Navi flutters in an indignified manner that would be a huff and pout in a normal person. "All right, all—" Link turns around and starts running out of the Deku Tree's meadow and Navi rushes ahead as he begins to turn to the north. "...no, this way!" Navi zips ahead, taking a southern course.

"Where are you going? The shrine is in the north!"

Navi continues rushing south. "This way is faster!"

"It's also in the opposite direction," he grumbles.

Navi sighs. "Kokiri are so much easier to work with. At least they listen."

"Kokiri don't go out to save the world either." The knight recalls that he left Raidon fighting the archwizard, and adds, "Or princes."

"You have to save princess Zelda _again_? Can't she take care of herself?"

"I said 'prince', I left Raidon fighting the most powerful Morihoth I've ever seen." He shivers a little at the image of walking death the wizard was.

"I don't know what a Morihoth is, but that sounds bad." She speeds ahead and calls back, "Hurry up!"

Link grits his teeth. _That's what I've been saying_. The fairy zips down into a wide, hollow log protruding from the ground at an odd angle. The Hylian follows her through, and at some point midway he feels the gravity change. At the other end of the log, instead of dirt as it should have been, was another meadow opening.

The blue glow zooms out and makes a sharp left turn. Link stumbles out of the log, running after the fairy dodging between trees, back and forth between upright and up and down through fallen trees. The knight scrambles to keep up, the forest here is unusually rough and littered with forest tangle. Thankfully for his tiring legs, the forest is thinning out.

After a little while, it clears enough for him to use his Pegasus Boots. The knight charges ahead into a familiar forest meadow. A hill stretches along one gently curving side, with a hollow log extending straight out. _There it is!_ Link charges through it, to the shrine of the Master Sword. Inside, everything is exactly how he remembers the last time he was there.

Bright sunlight clearly lights the whole clearing and pale green leaves drift on a warm, gentle breeze. Small, woodland creatures scurry across the unblemished clearing, and the sacred blade rests in its gleaming, white marble pedestal. Link sprints up the monument, passing the Ancient Hylian plaque.

As soon as his fingers close around the handle, he can feel the rush of sacred power, and a longing to cleave through evil. The knight draws the golden blade and relishes the feel of power throbbing in his arm.

"Link? The Morihoth?"

Some red tinges the Hylian's face at his forgetting the present. "Oh, yeah." He is about to sheathe the Master Sword when the tip glances off his knight sword. He unclip the knight swordscabbard and moves it to a position out of the way on his back. The Master Sword's scabbard he places on his hip.

The golden Sword of Evil's Bane in his possession, the young knight draws his ocarina and plays the Herder's Rite. Navi dives inside the swirl and into the lamp on his belt as the swirl carries Link out of the Lost Woods.

…

* * *

… 

Having given up on trying to magically choke the warrior prince, now the archwizard shoots a wall of force at him. Raidon braces behind the mirror shield and grits his teeth, his bleeding leg almost giving out at him when it strikes. He manages to keep his footing and send the pulse back at his nemesis.

The wizard lifts up into the air and swishes to the side so fast that he leaves after-images. Before the pulse even passes, the peasant charges with his broadsword. The wizard pivots, lowers until his toes brush the cobblestone, and waits until the peasant reaches him.

This lack of aggressiveness, instead of setting off alarms, only makes the peasant overconfident. He hefts his broadsword over his shoulder to bring it down in a vertical power blow. The wizard rushes forward in a blurring motion and grapples his right hand onto the peasant's face. Electricity surges into the poor Hylian, who releases an agonized scream.

Raidon limps forward, his ankle broken earlier in the fight and his vision starting to blur. Sweat glistens on his face and his breath is haggard. Unable to complete the somatic components of most of his spells, he throws a fire ball.

Without letting up on the peasant, the Morihoth uses his other hand to block, then charge an energy pulse and shoot it at the battered prince. He holds onto the mirror shield to deflect it.

Boots tap across the cobblestone and Link charges in with a golden, noble sword in his hand and a blue fairy flying over his shoulder. Raidon glances at Link for half a second, but in that short time he lowers the shield and the archwizard takes full advantage.

He telekinetically slams the prince into a wall. Raidon drops the shield and he slams him into another wall before Link reaches the wizard. He slices downward and the Morihoth slides sideways, the sword passes through the hood of an after-image.

When the wizard stops, a fold of the hood falls and it slides back enough to reveal a stained oak mask, carved into the likeness of an angry, snarling face. The black velvet had been severed exactly where the sword passed through the after-image. Link lifts his sword and takes a horizontal swing, but the wizard throws himself back with the same ridiculous speed.

The golden sword misses, and the Morihoth fires a ball of plasma at the Hylian knight, who swings his sword and bats the ball back into the wizard, drawing a roar of pain and anger. Link charges, sword raised and glinting in the fires still burning around them. Before he can reach swinging range, the archwizard teleports into the Dark World.

The knight exhales and sheathes the Master Sword before checking his comrades. The peasant is dead, the lightning too much for him. Link takes his mirror shield as he nears Raidon. The prince, despite his excellent Dunlan steel armor, is in pretty bad shape. Bruises and swelling appearing on his head and neck indicate more serious damage underneath. Blood runs from a split in his scalp and a deep gash in his left calf.

A blue fairy flutters down around the Dunlarian, circling him twice before returning to the lamp. "He's hurt pretty badly. There are injuries under his armor, and internal bleeding."

Link brushes a blond lock of hair out of his eyes and asks, "Is there anything you can do?"

Navi flutters negatively. "Sorry, I'm not that kind of fairy."

Link decides to chance moving the prince, so he kneels down and takes one arm over his neck and one arm around his waist to heft him up. "Where's the nearest fountain?"

"From here? I think on the Hyrule Palace grounds."

Link sighs before taking Raidon's arm, slinging him over his back, then trudges out. Raidon drags on the ground, about as heavy as Link expected but providing more resistance than the Hylian can keep up. _Forget dragging him the whole way, I'll try teleporting_.

Leaving the unconscious prince across his back, Link takes his ocarina and plays the Hylian March.

…

* * *

… 

Reviewer Responses:

FanFictionPhantom: I know there's no "Lon Lon Village" in Ocarina of Time, but this derives from my own rewrite of A Link to the Past with the merged world. A ranch wasn't enough, there needed to be a few more structures there. Hopefully you'll enjoy the novelization of A Link to the Past.

…

* * *

…

In the year 87 of Emperor Malnen Dunlar, the strength of the cavalry waned, and sickness spread through the royal court. There was no escape for the Empire until a proposal came from the Shadow Realm...

— Excerpt from the Imperial Archives of "The History of Dunlar"


	14. Hera's Tower

The Legend of Zelda: The Warrior Prince

…

…

**Chapter 13: Hera's Tower**

…

"...From what our spies report, the evil that seized Hyrule not a month before has returned, if slightly more cautious. More beasts, like the moblins you described, sir Link, have begun to appear, but at least the Morihoth have declined." Malle bows to Link in recognition and then turns to Prince Raidon, who steps up to speak next.

"News from Dunlar is equally dour. Morihoth have appeared sporadically in the cities, and swarms of moblins and other strange beasts in Gerudan. We've lost all contact with the siege at Huunta, it's so bad that the army has had to fall back to Dunlar."

Link runs his palm over the pommel of the Master Sword as he thinks. "I remember the Gorons told me there were 'dark energies flowing again.' Since they don't like Dwarves or even Hylians, I'm the only one who can go."

Raidon shrugs. "Then I'll investigate the disturbances in the Royal Valley Palace."

Link puts on his cap, then promptly takes it off again. "Be careful in the entrance, when I went through there were some pretty nasty traps involving magic cannons."

Raidon nods and walks out, his hand dropping to his flute. Handmaiden Malle opens an inner door and disappears into the castle beyond, and Zelda herself enters and calls the knight before he can reach the outer door, "Sir Link."

The Hylian stops, his hand on the door. _So close_.

"This new adventure is going to be far more difficult than your last. Ganon must be behind this, but just because you defeated him once doesn't guarantee victory this time."

"I know, but if you haven't noticed, your highness," he draws his sword, spinning the golden blade about with a flourished flick of the wrist. "I've got a head start."

"You'll need more than that. I haven't told anybody else yet, but I saw you, I, and another fighter were facing one Army I couldn't see in the darkness. You had stronger equipment than you have now. Even that sword." The princess nods at his weapon.

Link gawks. "This is the golden blade. It can't become any stronger."

"Isn't that what you felt about the first iteration of the Master Sword, before it cracked against Blind?"

The knight scowls. "Fine, I see your point. I'll keep my eyes open. If Ganon's forces are anything like before, they'll have been busy pilfering and spreading out sacred weapons in an attempt to keep them from me."

Zelda nods and smiles. Link pushes his door open and steps out, walking until he reaches the welcoming courtyard. Raidon, Dimitri, and Hylian Royal Guard Captain Impa are talking. "What are you still here for?"

"Captain Impa was telling me that there's been a swarm spotted at the eastern access to the Royal Valley, but there's another way to get into the Royal Valley from a point in the Lost Forest." The prince rocks on his heels, eager to get going.

"You could do that, you might run into some Zora in that one river, and the Deku Tree will have to grant you passage or you'll never make it out of the Lost Forest."

Raidon crosses his arms and reduces his rocking. "Okay, so how do I get his permission?"

Link has no idea for a minute, until he remembers the fairy resting in his magic lamp. "Navi should be able to communicate with him. I don't know how, but something about being a forest fairy..." The knight takes the lantern from the equipment strap over his back and shakes the lantern vigorously. "Wake up!"

A bright blue glow lightens and bounces around inside the lantern for a minute. "Humph. I was just having a very nice nap."

Link holds the lamp up, looking straight into it, dead at the fairy. "Navi, Prince Raidon needs to go through the Lost Forest."

"Ohh... fine," Navi pouts. The fairy centers herself in the lamp, then her glow dims. Short-lived, small concentric circles of blue expand from the forest fairy as she murmurs in a strange language that Link might have recognized if he had the Book of Mudora.

Impatient, Raidon steps forward and reaches up to flick at the glass before thinking the better of it. "Well?"

"He's already expecting you."

There is silence as surprised, curious glances are exchanged between Link, Raidon, and Impa, Navi being left out of the loop due to her amorphous glow not allowing a curious look to be discerned by the others.

Raidon scratches the back of his neck and slowly says, "Well . . . that was easy. Bye." Without a backwards look, he hops onto Dimitri and gallops out. Link draws his ocarina and plays the Wind Sonata, teleporting himself to Eyeglass Peak.

…

* * *

…

As the teleport wears off, Link hears the sounds of battle reach his ears. Not a frantic fight, but steel clashes nonetheless. He runs east to the rocky clearing, then stops and growls. He may have the Magic Mirror, but the portal he needs to get to the Dark World is inactive and he doesn't have a Moon Pendant. _Fine, I'll take the long way around_.

Impatiently, he draws his ocarina again and plays the Bolero of Fire to warp to Fire Mountain, barrow mound of the Gorons and the area's volcano. The teleport whisks him east to the hill where Turtle Rock resides in the Dark World. As soon as the swirl dissipates, Link sprints west, towards the white tower.

A while later, he arrives at the scene of a fight between a group of dwarves and an assortment of monsters, mainly tektites. _That's strange, tektites aren't that hard, and these dwarves are good fighters_. Then he sees what the trouble is.

The tektites are already dead, animated by some dark magic. Each time a dwarven warrior hews off a limb, the appendage floats up and re-attaches itself before it can even strike the rock.

The Hylian knight draws his sword and shield, gold gleaming in the sun. A pair of tektites disengage from two Dwarves and close on Link. He steps swiftly forward and swings, the leading edge parting a leg. The leg falls and disintegrates, but the rest of the beast continues fighting. Link takes a step back, gently swinging his sword back as the 3-legged tektite advances, waiting until it jumps to use its own momentum against it as he swings the Master Sword, gripping the hilt with both hands to slice the tektite in half.

The exoskeletous beast falls in two, but only the one-legged half disintegrates as he expects, the two-legged half thrashes and continues to swing at the Hylian. He sidesteps and stabs the sacred blade straight down into the blood-oozing mess. The piece splutters and breaks apart, like ashes blowing away on the wind. The other tektite finally reaches Link, the glistening fang mandibles open and twittering.

It charges and Link easily dodges to one side, swinging the Master Sword through its front leg, spinning on the ball of his foot to carry momentum and slash through the back leg. The monster falls and Link stabs straight into its heart. The tektite weakly twitches as it disintegrates like ash blowing away on the wind.

The rest of the tektites suddenly back away, but instead of retreating they only regroup and charge at the divide between Link and the dwarves. Link goes straight for the heart of the next tektite. _Stabbing all the time is boring_. Another anthropoid creature lurches at him and Link whips out his Ice Rod, freezing the animated creature before drawing his hammer and smashing it.

The combined efforts of Link with his sacred weapons and the determined skill of the dwarves wipe out the tektites. When the last one shatters into ice chunks, the Hylian spots some movement in a window high up in the tower.

A dwarf lifts his steel halberd to the sky and shouts, "The undead have been defeated. Hip hip!"

The others join him in lifting their weapons in cheer. "Hurrah!"

"Hip hip!"

"Hurrah!"

"Hip hip!" The dwarf leader nears as the others finish the cheer and Link recognizes the short, middle-aged man, Captain Kuno, as the same commander he met when he came to help clear Hera's Tower to earn the pendant of Power in his struggle against Agahnim. "Sir Link! It is an honor to fight alongside an elf once again. Dark creatures have invaded our tower, and the Gorons are pressing into our territory _again_."

Link sighs. The Gorons and dwarves had been at war for years over the mountains, and the elvish Hylians had made the mistake of immediately siding with the dwarves, which made their later attempts to reconcile the two peoples nearly impossible. "The Gorons? I thought you cleared that up with them last time."

"They broke the treaty first!"

Link sheathes his equipment. "All right, stop. I'll deal with that later. Right now I'm after Ganon's minions."

Kuno pokes his finger into his ear and twists, as if a piece of earwax suddenly blocked the Hylian's words. "Ganon, King of Evil? But... didn't you destroy him?"

Link shuffles slightly nervously. "I . . . he returned."

A collective gasp passes through the dwarves. While Ganon may have been a greater menace to Hyrule the last time, the evil figure has made himself an enemy of every free people, even the Gorons. The captain holds out his hands palms-up. "I'm afraid there's nothing we can do right now to help you. All we know is that the Necromancer is in the top of this tower."

The Hylian looks up . . . and up . . . and up. "Why is it always the top? Why can't they just mill around in a convenient place on the ground floor?"

"That would be too dangerous for him," the dwarf answers, unaware that it was a rhetorical question.

Link sighs. "I guess I'll be inside."

Kuno grabs the knight's sleeve to stop him. "Be on your guard. We saw a group of Gorons enter before we returned with reinforcements. The undead may not be your only enemy in there."

…

* * *

…

It takes Link a while to recognize the interior as Hera's Tower, for the layout resembles neither the desecrated tower he fought through to face Moldorm, nor what the Dwarves were trying to restore it to. The blocky walls that obstructed him last time are gone, now the vast majority of the flat floor is dotted with a dense grid of small holes, a beamos statue in the center of the dotted floor. Something resembling an emaciated moblin holding a javelin trudges around the beamos.

Link draws his bow and fires a typical arrow into the moblin's head. The shot gets its attention, but doesn't cause significant damage. Link nocks another arrow, but before he can draw back, all hell breaks loose.

Starting from the beamos and radiating outwards, spikes ram up from the floor at all number of angles. He reaches behind to whip out his Magic Cape, only to remember that he doesn't currently have it. The knight dives back onto the platform of ordinary tiles at the entrance, swearing that as soon as he gets out of this lair of evil he'll go home and pick up every last piece of his equipment.

Before he can fully recover his wits, the rotating eye of the beamos spots him and fires a strong beam at him. The knight instinctively whips out his mirror shield, only barely reflecting the beam into a random direction. The moblin, speared by many of the spikes, gets back up and Link realizes that, like the tektites, it is undead. He tries another ordinary arrow, sending this one at the heart.

His enemy flinches at the hit, then throws a javelin. The knight easily dodges, but he has a necromancer to dispatch and he doesn't have time to chop through every zombie he comes across. The moblin lifts another Javelin and Link shoots it with a silver arrow, and when it doesn't drop immediately he sends it another silver arrow. The knight doesn't notice that the second arrow seems to slow momentarily on the way to the moblin. The sacred weapon brings down the undead just as another wave of spikes shoot up.

Since the stairs at the far corner are unobstructed this time, he decides to investigate that first. Shaking his head to try to clear the fog clouding his memory, the Hylian charges his Pegasus Boots and takes off, a beamos blasting the wall behind where he had been but a moment before. He stops at the staircase and something in his gut tells him to duck. He obeys the instinct just in time, a beam shooting above his head and blasting a char into the rock wall beside the stairs.

Link scrambles down the stairs, opening into a blank, tiled room. He almost shouts, _Boring, this is the same trap as last time_. Surely enough, a tile lifts up, its spin increasing as it rises to 3 feet. This time, however, there is one variation: when it lifted from the floor, 2 reanimated keese flew up from underneath it. Link whips out his recurve bow and sends a wooden arrow into one. The keese looses altitude but regains flight control and continues to flap, a wood arrow still impaled in it.

_Oh, forget this_. Without a wall blocking the door to his left, the Hylian just runs through, hearing the tile smash into the doorway behind him.

In the next room, the doors slam closed behind and Link is unsurprised to see an undead, this time a moldorm larvae, Master Sword easily dispatching it. What surprises him is that another falls from the ceiling as soon as he vanquishes the first with a stab. The knight looks up at the ceiling to see at least five moldorm larvas, stuck to the ceiling with a dripping slime.

The second he freezes, following up with a smash from his favorite hammer. When the third falls, he decides to try something new. _Hookshot?_ Link briefly remembers trying to use the hookshot against gibdos in Mothula's lair in Skull Woods when his sword was being repaired. _Nah, that'll just slowly break 'em apart_. _Bombs?_ He shakes his head. As if they weren't bad enough already, the shops had raised the prices. _Too expensive. Fire Rod?_

A grin slowly spreads over the Hylian's face. _Hmmm, haven't tried that_. The knight draws his magic weapon and sets the decaying foe on fire. It roars and limply thrashes as it breaks up from the flames. The rest burn to ashes under his fire bolts and the door shutters slide open.

Link proceeds to the next room, filled with weak skeltos. With a sigh, he draws his sword. _What a day to leave my medallions behind_. The knight holds back his sword, charging it as he walks forward. Practice in the maneuver quickly readies the Hylian and the sword rumbles in his hand, glowing as if to show the altruism flowing through it.

The skeletons amble about the room, a fair-sized cluster starting to near before Link unleashes the power of the golden Master Sword in a brutal spin attack. Eight skeltos disintegrate, and instantaneously, every skeltos slows, stops, and turns to the knight.

The next skeleton nears and Link makes a horizontal swing, the torso falls to the ground and starts dragging itself at the knight, the legs point at him and kick. Link almost laughs as he severs the leg, carrying the sword's momentum in a diagonal downward slash the destroys the skeleton's lower half. A sharp pain in his shin makes Link jump back and take notice of the upper half of the undead.

Blue eyes narrow. _That's it, play time's over_. The Hylian surges forward, crushing the length of the sacred blade down the spine of the crawling skeleton. The rest of the room's skeltos near and Link lets loose a quick sword-spin, knocking down three more and giving himself room to charge for a more serious blow. The remainder continue to near and Link tightens his grip on the Sword of Evil's Bane. The sword glows...

They take another step.

The sword starts to rumble and the skeletons take another step. The glow brightens and another round of skeleton-steps hits the stone-tile floor. Too close, two lift their claw-like hands in preparation to remove Link's face from his head and the Hylian unleashes a mighty spin with a roar. The blade plows through six skeletons, the initial wash of magic energy radiating out in an expanding circle destroying another three. Instead of stopping, the blade seems to pull itself, the new momentum creating another spin that takes out another five skeletons, with the wash blasting out in another even brighter, taller, bigger expanding circle.

Link stands there, breathing heavily for a moment. Another two skeletons remain at the edges of the room, and the knight notices something glinting jammed in the rib cage of the near one. One swing of the Master Sword shatters the rib cage, allowing the young Hylian to ascertain what the object is: a silvery key.

One of the skeletons starts to rear back for a swing and Link elegantly swishes his blade in a horizontal stroke, knocking the animated undead into pieces so he can retrieve the key. "See ya."

Tiles smash against the wall as he passes, but nothing demands his presence and he flees the room filling with undead keese. The grand entry room opens before him and before his foot hits the floor, he looks back and tries to remember the layout of the rooms he was just in. Whoever is channeling dark magic through this tower is good, the knight's disorientation is as bad as when he infiltrated Ganon's Tower itself.

Spikes rise up and Link takes a quick glance around. Behind him is a set of stairs down, and on his left is a set of wide stairs spiraling up. Since the Dwarves suspected the Necromancer to hide at the top of the tower, Link sprints to the stairs spiraling up after the next spike trap passes.

When he reaches the next floor, he is relieved to see that the holes the Dwarves repaired remain closed. While he's thinking about it, he looks up at the ceiling and doesn't spot any open gaps. A few undead globs, reanimated corpses of something smelling of rotten fish, slither towards him. Ice bolts freeze them before the globs can threaten, a smash of the hammer releasing their mana and restoring Link's acuity.

A brief headache passes when Link tries to remember which door he came through, and finally he guesses. The next room is on the way up, and it has the look of the bloody back of a butcher's shop, the reek of spilt blood is almost overpowering. Hooks hang from chains in the ceiling, skeletons dangling from them. Benches which were probably supposed to be for rest for the Dwarves now hold scythes, scalpels, and all manner of horrifying instruments.

Four butcher's blood-draining tables sit neatly in the center of the room, soaked red. A headless skeleton lies on one and the Hylian hopes it wasn't a Dwarf. The knight hesitates, but this is the only way up, so he tries not to look at the room's ghastly array as he skirts around it to the locked door on his right.

He tries to force open the door, but the reinforced, banded timber won't budge. Reaching to a pouch on his belt, he draws the key he picked up downstairs. "No way. That would be way too coinci—"

Click!

The door swings open and Link is nearly bowed over by the stench of rotting flesh. Pressing his sleeve over his nose doesn't have much effect, but he keeps his arm up anyway. "That reek!" He wavers a moment. _The things I do for my country_.

The room he enters lacks the holes or partial walls that blocked him last time. Now a revolting-looking mound is the only thing he spots in the empty space. The knight takes a few cautious steps in, and the mound shifts, rising up.

"_I hunger_."

Link spins around to look behind him as a shutter slams closed in the door. He continues glancing about for the source of whatever it was that spoke, words that touched directly to his mind. _Was that the pile of—?_

Suddenly, it coalesces into a more 'solid' form like a man yet still a blob.

"_Join my body_."

Link whips out the Master Sword and begins to charge a sword spin, then notices the sickening mass still rising up and decides not to let it get that close. _Oookayyy, I'll try magic_. His bow greets his hand with a calming, familiar feel, a trusty tool.

The silver arrow slides into the hunter's recurve bow with a dedicated purpose, the core of the man-blob corpse amalgamation. Link's fingers relax and the string sings as the arrow sails into the air, right on target. The mass twists and makes a sound like the growl of a bear before the sacred weapon strikes it.

The amalgamation draws back momentarily, a quivering screech emanating from its mouth-less body. Despite the knight's expectations, no blood spurts. In fact, the silver arrow disappears into the creature and it continues inexorably forward towards him.

Link tries not to puke in revulsion as his hand dives to his belt for his next weapon, coming up with his Ice Rod. The flame of fear cools as his fingers slide over the enchanted silver-edged steel weapon, used more often in his quest against Agahnim than his bow.

The young Hylian takes aim at the center of the approaching corpse amalgamation. Instead of shooting an ice bolt like it did every time before, the rod explodes with ice magic. Link has to slide his shield onto his back and grip it with both hands, bracing himself to keep from flying back as the rod blasts violent waves upon waves of dagger-like shards and a concentrated swirl of blizzard roars into the blob.

Ice spreads quickly as the beast freezes under the rod's thunderous assault, and Link's eyes widen as he watches the rod transforming in his hands, frost spreading up his sleeves and a painful chill biting into his hands. Fog falls from the rod, but he keeps his hands squeezed on it and pointed at the corpse-blob, only starting to slow.

The scepter extends and he adjusts his right hand's grip, a little skin coming off as he removes the hand. Ice continues to blast and the amalgamation screeches as it rears up. Winter's fury continues to roar out and the man-like blob finally stops, twisting back and around. Having to fight the scepter in his hands for control, Link finally tears it away from his opponent and stops the attack.

The blob shifts like an ameboa, shooting a fat tentacle at the knight. Link dives out of the way, his hands still stuck on the scepter. His left hand is frozen tight, but he manages to rip off his right again. Ice looms ahead of the knight, and an idea pops into his head. He reaches into his bag and tosses a bomb, letting it roll gently so the fuse burns in exactly when it stops at the icy frozen forward edge of the amalgamation.

A loud BAM punctures the quieting atmosphere and a sharp crack begins the forceful shattering of the amalgamation's frozen section. The corpse-blob roars and rears up, smashing through the ceiling and pulling itself through the new hole to the room above. As it rises, the blob slaps down on the floor. Two parallel lines of loose tiles running the length of the room fling up to reveal two narrow grids of holes, just like the spikes downstairs.

Link walks calmly through the gap between them down the center of the room to the next door, which should lead up. Unfortunately, when he arrives he finds a locked door. "Oh, you've got to be kidding me!"

The door looks solid, but that hasn't stopped Link before. Eight blows of the Megaton Hammer later and his obstacle is no less steady. _Damn it, this is the only way up_.

A voice pipes from the fairy lamp at his waist. "Well, Link, what next?"

The knight sighs and puts away his hammer. "I don't know. It's not like there's another guard around with a keyring..."

_The second silver arrow pierces the undead Moblin's chest and it collapses, beginning to disintegrate as another wave of spikes rise_. Link murmurs, "I forgot to check the Moblin. He kicks the floor in frustration. "Oh, hell. If I'm going to head back to the entrance, why don't I just warp all the way home?"

"Because you complained the whole hour it took to get from Fire Mountain, because that spot you used to climb collapsed?

_I did, didn't I?_ Link takes his Magic Mirror from its protective pocket on his belt. _I might as well just finish off the evil here right now_.

When the entry doorway appears around him, an emaciated moblin looks lazily at the new movement. Link is about to walk out towards it when he spots the dense grid of holes where the spikes thrusted up from. _Wait a minute, what's that moblin...?_ "Navi, tell me I'm not seeing things."

Navi flutters around in the lamp. "I see it too, Link. The Necromancer must have revived them."

The knight is about to nock an arrow in his bow when he realizes what she said. "Them? I only see one."

Navi rests in the center of the fairy lamp and pulses, then shines bright light. The concentrated forward cone of light reveals two ghostly forms different than anything Link had ever seen before.

Humanoid, to be sure, they have long, lanky legs with reversed knees. The arms are long, bowing inwards, ending in something that at first appeared to be claws but on closer examination appears to end in whispy tatters of...phantom cloth? The body is tall but hunched far forward, more whispy tatters on the body convincing Link that it must be cloth. Their definition is vague and color a subdued tan, though the young Hylian isn't sure if that's due to their true form, their being ghosts, or the divine light Navi is emitting.

Link reaches to draw his fire rod, but his left hand is still frozen around the Ice Scepter. He draws the Master Sword and shoots a swirl of its purifying energy at the ghost, but the swirl only knocks it back. "Navi..."

Navi's light dims as she shouts with a hint of panic, "I can't commune with the Deku Tree while shining light!"

Link tries to shake the scepter out of his left hand, but to no avail. _Cut straight to the chase_. "Go check the Moblin, tell me if he's got a keyring."

Navi stops emitting light and Link thinks that for a moment she's cooperating, but then the light shines again. "Do I have to?"

The ghosts press closer and Link could swear he can feel a chill pressing in. The Hylian bellows, "We've been through this! I know it's not the forest! Go!"

Navi zips out of his lamp, swirls around the moblin a few times, then zips back as quickly as she can. "Nothing! All he's got is a vial of mana."

Link sheathes the Master Sword and tosses a bomb. It detonates directly next to a ghost, having absolutely no effect. He shakes his frozen left hand and an edge creeps into his voice. "I could really use some help here!"

"I'm a fairy of light and I talk to spirits, what more do you expect me to do!"

Link growls and spots a set of stairs down. One of the ghosts is beginning to get uncomfortably near. Link throws magic powder at it, causing it to pause. A wave of spikes ripple through the room as the regular trap activates itself, and the rotating eye of the beamos statue spots him.

The knight dodges forward and a laser beam sears through the air where his head had been, blasting a scorch mark in the wall. Navi re-centers herself in the lamp, projecting the cone of divine light and revealing some ghosts again.

Without warning, something strikes his shoulder and it feels as if tendrils of ice slide through the skin above his shoulder blade. All feeling in his left arm instantly numbs and the ice scepter dangles at his side. Link draws the Master Sword and makes a wide swing, the tip catching an unseen wraith ghost behind him. The undead abomination roars and briefly becomes partially visible.

Still unsure of how to combat them, he swings the Master Sword again. Though it roars angrily, he sees absolutely no sign that the Blade of Evil's Bane is having any effect, and they are still nearing. A click reaches his sensitive ears, and he realizes that he's standing on the spiked part of the room and the trap has just activated again. He charges his Pegasus Boots while running from the ghost, heading for the nearest set of stairs down he can spot.

The young Hylian exits the stairwell and a narrow hallway greets him. _This isn't _anything_ like last time I was here in Hera's Tower_. He looks both ways, the hall ending suspiciously abruptly to his left. A sinking feeling starts to take hold in his stomach and he more states than asks, "Tell me this isn't a maze."

Navi floats back and forth in the Fairy Lamp. She seems not to detect the tone of his voice as she answers, "Do you want the truth? Or 'not maze'?"

Link sighs and holds up his hands, the left still frozen around the scepter. He lets them drop and raise like a balance scale as he quips, "Stupid prince, fairy of light. How'd I end up on the short end of the stick?"

Following the hallway to his right, he turns a corner and a gibdos spots him. Link whips out the golden blade, chopping its left arm off with the exaggerated draw. The skilled knight spins on his heel to keep up momentum and stabs the sword into its heart. The gibdos drops to its knees, disintegrating, and Link impatiently walks around it.

The young Hylian notices that Navi is meditating in the lamp, but she isn't emitting light. "Something wrong, Navi?"

Navi flutters as if just waking up. "Sorry, I'm trying to figure out this maze, I sensed a magic object."

"What's so complicated about—?" The knight's question is interrupted when the entire floor shakes slightly. Every single stone block slides out of its place and the maze shifts around him, blocks flying this way and that as the maze changes itself, re-forming the straight-edged halls and right angles making up the maze.

"That."


	15. Reaching Skull Woods

The Legend of Zelda: The Warrior Prince

…

…

**Chapter 14: Reaching Skull Woods **

…

Dimitri's mighty gallop begins to slow, bringing Raidon out of his pondering. The young Dunlarian looks up in amazement at the trees of the Lost Forest, rising up on Hyrule's eastern border like the Goron Mountains on its north. Dimitri's mouth opens in a near shock, never having seen such a grand forest, and the prince watches in a more subdued awe as trees higher than Rastan siege towers rise into view.

It takes a minute before he realizes that Dimitri is slowing. The prince digs his heels into the dodongo's sides to get him back to a gallop. The shadow of the canopy passes over them and the terrain underfoot immediately changes. Though it appears relatively flat, the forest floor is riddled with shallow potholes and leaf-filled pits.

Out of necessity to keep from throwing off Raidon in the unfamiliar terrain, the dodongo slows down. The dunlarian scans back and forth until he spots a yellow glow beckoning from deeper in the forest. He steers Dimitro towards it. The sound of small feet scuffle away and the glow zips off. "Wait! I need to find the Deku Tree!"

The feet stop and the yellow glow returns to view. Dimitri runs at it and the glow takes off again. At several points in the chase, Raidon thinks he spots a small, pale green-haired young girl, but can't get close enough to tell. Trees fly by and the warrior prince realizes that he can't track his way, some strange . . . force of this forest has robbed his sense of direction. Still, he doesn't sense a malevolent presence behind it, so the prince keeps his eyes on the yellow fairy leading them on.

A cloud passes over the sun and the already dark forest blackens darker than the knight of the new moon. Dimitri slows to a light plod and both strain to see their way as they follow the fairy. Raidon leans down and asks, "How far do you think we've gone in the forest?"

Dimitri keeps his eyes set firmly on the dark floor he attempts to navigate. "A couple of miles. Are you as lost as I?"

Raidon nervously laughs. "Old friend, if you're lost, I _definitely_ am."

The dodongo smiles at the same time as the sun's filtered light returns and he picks up the pace. Raidon scans around as his steed continues forward until the prince nudges him towards the north. "Hey, Dimitri, look up."

The royal cavalry slows and looks in the direction indicated to see what appears to be a room perched on a thick branch against the trunk of a tree. A similar structure sits on a lower branch on the next tree, higher on the next tree. Raidon's sensitive eyes can just make out a path snaking away from the base of one of the trees, north to what he assumes the rest of a forest village.

He spots more fairies flying around just beneath the crown of the canopy, safely in the leafy green. Some fly in a line through the air like a millipede over the sand, most flying individually in their own random paths. Unexpectedly, a voice reaches out from the base of one of the trees. "Hurry! It's urgent!"

Raidon's head snaps towards the girl. She had been utterly silent this entire time, so much that he wondered if the forest child could even speak. Now that she is closer and isn't running, the Dunlarian can closely look her over.

She appears to be a girl about eight or nine years old, pale green hair with slightly darker green clothes that make her blend into the verdant forest. Her eyes are a strange shade of yellow-green. Her ears are the last thing to draw his attention, but they hold his gaze for a while. He thought they were like every elf's ears, but hers are shorter, pointed but not as long as any Dunlarian's or Hylian's.

"Who are you? You...you're not an elf, are you?"

The child smiles at the warrior prince. "I'm Saria, a Kokiri." The smile disappears. "Now hurry! The Deku Tree needs you!"

Raidon nods. She takes off running again and Dimitri goes after her. The village passes by and the trees start to spread out, these are much taller and older than the ones before the village. The ground begins to rise noticeably, and the yellow fairy-guided girl leads him to a grotto in the wall of forest rock rising up.

The girl stops and Raidon continues into the grotto. Whatever lies inside rising hill is obviously his destination. In the distance, poking up over the tops of the grassy rock walls he can make out what seems to be the crown of another grove within.

Inside is a tree – _a_ tree – that makes his breath catch in his throat. The narrow valley yawns open into a wide meadow, dominated by a massive tree bigger than the Moon Tower of the magi. The trunk rises up, disappearing into its own branches extending out so far that most of the sprawling meadow is shaded by the tree.

"I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU, WARRIOR FROM BEYOND THE BLEAK DESERT."

Raidon almost jumps off Dimitri in his surprise. _Did that come from the tree?_ He tries to decide if his ears heard it, or if the words sprang into his mind.

The Deku Tree speaks again. "I HAVE URGENT NEED OF YOUR HELP. LIKE AGAHNIM BEFORE, MY LIFE IS BEING DRAINED BY THE FORCES OF EVIL FROM THE DARK WORLD. I BEG OF YOU, DESTROY THEM!"

Raidon purses his lips. _Agahnim... I know that name_. "How can I help?"

The Deku Tree yawns. "CAN YOU WORK ALONGSIDE A FAIRY?"

The young prince looks up at the thousands of fairies fluttering lazily back and forth in the pale brown bark of the Deku Tree's branches. "I think so. Back in Dunlar, I trained for years with a mana sprite."

A yellow, glowing shine of light flies down from the lofty branches of the Deku Tree. "THIS IS NAOMI, A FARY. SHE WILL HELP YOU."

The pulsating, golden yellow glow reaches the Dunlarian and stops at eye level. "Hello, warrior prince." She pauses and flies closer, just a few inches from his bow, then flies in a few tight circles up and down around him, then takes her distance again. "Your aura is unbalanced."

Raidon snaps, "I know, I haven't meditated in a few days."

Naomi drops down to Dimitri. "Is he always this testy?"

Raidon is about to snap at Naomi, but Dimitri interjects, "Take it easy, he hasn't had any rest for five days and his fiancée's had two attempts on her life. That's aside from his men fighting a war against the Gerudo, and he isn't there for them."

Naomi's glow changes in a way to indicate a smile. "Ah, a commander for his people. I think I like him already."

The dodongo chuckles. "You haven't had to work with him yet."

Raidon taps his heels against his steed's sides, but directs his complaint at the fairy. "Are we going to get to the mission or not?"

Naomi returns to shoulder-level near Raidon. "Of course, of course! I just wanted to get to know you and your companion. This way." The glowing yellow being races ahead and leads them north west until they find a clear, shallow gully with a strange swirl pattern in it.

Raidon feels a mild warm pulsating on his chest and he pulls out the Moon Pendant. The silver talisman is glowing faintly, and tugs toward the inactive portal on the ground. The young Dunlarian closes a hand around the pendant and wills the portal active. A brief tremor shakes the ground and Raidon opens his eyes to see the square portal on the ground now swirls with blue magic, twisting and flaring as if calling out for the adventurous young man.

Dimitri slowly walks forward and Naomi dives onto his shoulder just before the portal draws the three of them into the Dark World.

…

* * *

…

The first thing Raidon notices is that the Dark World does actually look darker. Shifting gray overhead alerts him to an overcast sky. _Oh, clouds_. There is still a forest of sorts around him, but not a leaf in sight. Some "trees" look like bulbous masses capped in a shell like a sea-faring crustacean, others resembling anemones sprout long tentacles gently waving in a non-existant breeze.

"So this is what Skull Wood looks like."

Raidon looks up at his fairy incredulously. "You don't know anything about this place?"

Naomi huffs indignantly, even her glow blinks in an insulted manner. "We servants of the Deku Tree cannot independently leave the forest, but the Deku Tree can sense the mirror of his domain." She floats up, then zips in a few directions with slightly less vigor than she showed back in the forest, before stopping and returning over Raidon. "The den of evil is this way…"

…

* * *

…

_In the days of the War of Golden Power, one of the seven sages was promised the hand of the High Princess in marriage if they could prove themselves. After the seal was cast, fighting sage Miihat distinguished himself in the defense of the survivors of the Great Dividing Storm. He married Princess Takara, and the blood of the sages joined the blood of royalty._

— Excerpt from the Dunlan geneology of the Royal Family


	16. Zelda and the Morihoth

The Legend of Zelda: The Warrior Prince

…

…

**Chapter 15: Zelda and the Morihoth**

…

Sparks fly as the blue sheen of a folded steel quarterstaff meets its match against a short, curved sword. Impa, Captain of the Royal Guard, adjusts her fingers. "Good, now press your momentum."

Princess Zelda grips her quarterstaff enough to make the knuckles white and pushes forward.

"Relax your fingers a little and flick your wrist, it will send the momentum of my blade away." Zelda complies, but overcompensates and almost allows her staff to be knocked from her hand. "No, don't fully let go of your weapon, always keep control."

Zelda twists her staff in a high arc, getting much closer to Impa than the captain expected. As their weapons meet, Impa speaks again. "Very good, princess, your skill increases tremendously every day.If you had more time, " Shere-positions her swords. "I'd almost think you were sneaking in practice somewhere."

A smile quirks on Zelda's face and she takes another swing at her instructor. "It's a shame we couldn'tdo this in the opena month ago."

Impa bats it away and swings with her other sword, catching the princess by surprise. The young Hylian holds the blade and tries to push directly back against the captain, who is stronger and advancing slowly forward. "Don't block straight on, push your enemy's blade to one side. And yes, we should have been doing more of this, but your father wouldn't hear of it."

Zelda ducks and steel swishes through the air above her head. "I'm glad that he changed his mind."

Impa charges in, swinging both of her short, sickle-like blades, both of which are smacked away. "We should probably wrap up this session soon, my lady. You _do_ have that diplomatic envoy to the Zora today."

Zelda groans and lowers her staff. "I forgot about that. There's always some royal duty to attend to. Link and those others are so fortunate."

Impa sheathes her blades and follows the princess out of the meadow courtyard. "Riding out to defend the nation is a duty, too."

Zelda crosses her arms in a gesture very much like her younger childhood pouts. "I know, I'm just having one of my 'I'm-a-princess-and-I-don't-like-it' moments." She smiles briefly at Impa's rigidly stern expression, and the captain's bearing wavers. "The preparations are complete to go?"

"As soon as we arrive, the horses are being brought up to the drawbridge."

Zelda nods and a minute later the small group of Zelda and her guard escort reaches the horses waiting at the castle drawbridge. Hyrule Plains flies by with nothing eventful other than a brief sighting of something the princess thought was a fat bat flying about the distant treetops. _In the daytime? I must be seeing things_.

The ancient stone bridge passes underneath, and they slow down and move into a single-file formation as they proceed up the partially-completed road to Zora Springs. The terrain grows more and more rough until they are forced to dismount. As soon as the horses depart, a four Zora rise from the river.

"My lady princess Zelda and Hylians," The lead Zora begins. "I am Tali, captain of the Zora army. We are here to escort you to our domain for the peace talks." He forces a polite smile, but the gesture comes across as ambivalent at best. "It is good that our people can finally meet in peace. We owe Link and you Hylians a great thanks for freeing us from the dark forces of Ganon." He turns to lead them away, muttering quietly, "If only the curse had stayed broken."

Zelda is about to ask about what captain Tali means when something round flapping away from a distant tree catches her eye. _What was that?_ She shakes her head and sets her focus on the immediate present as they make their way through the rough path. The remainder of the trip commences in silence, except for impressed mutterings from the Hylians when the Zora use ice magic to freeze the river and allow them to enter Zora City unimpeded by the massive waterfall.

Zelda was slightly too young to join the last diplomatic trip to Zora City, so she doesn't realize right away that the water is at a very low level. Elegantly carved hallways and stairs spear through the rock, climbing up and up as they head to the royal audience chamber.

The Zora guard departs and the two diplomatic teams introduce each other. Impa announces her charge, "Princess Zelda of Hyrule." The young Hylian woman steps forward and bows lightly.

One of the Zora steps forward as another announces her, "Princess Ruto of the Zora." She bows, mimicking Zelda, and the two take seats, followed immediately by the rest.

Ruto begins. "It's good to finally sit down and write a formal peace treaty. Funny, I never thought that this would happen until your knight, Link, cleansed our Water Temple."

Zelda nods. "He exemplifies Hylian courage and aptitude." The young Hylian pauses. _This is _not_ going like the speech I wrote yesterday_. "Well, it's been a long time since war was declared, and years since the cease-fire. Hopefully we can even make steps towards a permanent alliance like we have with the Dwarves."

Ruto shrugs in a dismissal manner. "I don't think something will happen so quickly—"

_BREEEEE_—

Impa cries, "Morihoth! Defend yourselves!"

—_EEEW_.

Impa and the other three Royal Guard draw weapons and prepare to face the appearing black-clad minions of evil. The Zora follow the Hylians' lead, with much more confusion, and rush at the teleporting invaders.

Zelda pulls out the quarterstaff she forgot to put away before departing the castle and knocks away a sword blade she wasn't consciously aware was coming at her. The princess spins around on her heel, whipping her staff around in a wide arc, tossing one of the black swordsman against the wall.

Another sword comes swinging at her and she snaps the staff close to hold off the blade. He presses forward and she steps back, holding against his attack until he passes over his center of balance. Zelda sidesteps and lets him fall, pulling back her staff to thrust it like a spear, hitting him in the temple and stunning him.

She thrusts the opposite way and strikes another Morihoth in the forehead. Something black comes at Zelda from the right and she swings her staff like a broadsword, interrupting the wizard's spell and sending him into the floor.

A fire bolt comes flying at her from behind. The princess spins around, spinning her quarterstaff, cutting through the bolt and allowing her time to create a kite shield in her hand from pure mana. The splatters of the bolt hit the mana shield and dissipate.

Zelda dispels the shield and sends a lightning bolt against the latest mage.

A Zora goes sailing through the air and Zelda drops her arm to look at the source of the trouble. A new Morihoth has entered the fight.

This one wears a black tunic like the others, but his pants are a dark, blood red and he wears a flowing, black velvet hooded cloak that gives him an ominous appearance like an angel of death. He gestures to another Morihoth, as if the princess wasn't worth his time.

Zelda swings her quarterstaff, but the mage reaches out his hand and grabs the end before it can connect with his head. The princess jerks at her staff, but the Morihoth is strong. He lifts his free hand and charges a lightning bolt. Zelda holds out her hand and readies her own lightning bolt.

Both fire at about the same time, the lightning clashing in a bright, searing ball midway between them. Light flashes and tendrils lash out in random directions, scorching the stone floor. The Morihoth sorcerer lets go of her staff to add a second hand and pour all of his strength into his bolt, but all he can do is slow the princess's power. He starts to growl, his arms trembling when the crackling ball hits.

Light explodes and the sorcerer is gone. The Zora announcer skids across the floor and almost strikes Zelda, who whips around to see the archwizard slowly walking forward, almost gliding across the floor at her. His abyss-black cloak flows behind him, giving him a menacing aura of omnipotence. He sweeps one hand, sending a large fireball at the princess.

She stands her quarterstaff against the ground and responds with a water ball. The Zora watch, impressed, as Zelda's magic hits and neutralizes the powerful fire.

He points one hand at her and quickly charges a ball of plasma, firing it at her faster than she expected the tainted magic to be ready.

Zelda humphs. _Agahnim did better than that, you'll have to do more_. A rounded-cube magic shell appears to block the dark magic, but the dark magic hits the facet in between he and her and tears through it like a rock through wet paper, knocking the princess to the ground. The archwizard chuckles as a Hylian guard falls back from one black-clad swordsman beside him.

Footsteps behind her alert the Hylian royalty to another 2 Morihoth, these armed with long swords similar to those of Hylian knights. Impa goes after the cloaked Morihoth who is clearly not prepared for her speed, allowing Zelda to face the black swordsmen.

The one on her left advances first, swinging his sword up in a counter-clockwise slash against Zelda's left. She lifts up her quarterstaff, spinning at the wrist to knock the blow away, continuing the spin and angling right to block the other swordsman.

She stops the spin with a snap of the wrist, gripping the staff two-handed like a spear, thrusting it into the first swordsman's face, momentarily stunning him and knocking him back, immediately returning rotational motion by swinging her staff at the second swordsman.

He blocks, pushes the staff away, and makes a hard downward swing. Zelda catches the blade with the middle of the staff before making a swing that throws it away and strikes the side of his head. He steps back, leaning with the blow as the other swordsman returns, his nose bleeding under the black veil covering his face.

Zelda fires a pulse of force at the rushing Morihoth, sending him crashing into a rock wall.He crumples to the ground, out cold. The other swordsman sprints at Zelda with redoubled ferocity. Head swipe, shoulder slash, a swing at her torso. Zelda blocks the blows, but each comes closer and closer to scoring serious injury. A Hylian knight engages the Morihoth and Zelda looks for the archwizard.

He finds her, Impa apparently engaged with another Morihoth. The caped one comes at Zelda with both hands held out, charging a plasma bolt just like Agahnim did before. Against Agahnim she had no defense, but she swore that would never happen again, so she began to train in the difficult arts of Light Magic.

Zelda braces against the ball as if she held an invisible tower shield, and an ellipse of transuculent golden light springs up, blocking the dark magic. The Morihoth growls and shoots jets of fire at her shield, but the princess can't hold for long and drops the barrier before it drains too much of her energy.

He continues shooting flames and the princess counters by blasting a frost funnel at against him. Ice meets fire and wavers, but stays strong. He ceases his flame thrower and Zelda cuts her Ice spell, sweat glistening on her brow. What happens next is too fast for the Hylian to counter.

He whips his hand up and Zelda feels a crushing force wrap around her neck. Instinctively she begins frantically clawing at her neck as Impa downs her adversary and sets her sights against the archwizard. Seeing his new foe, he flings the princess into a wall—

…

* * *

… 

Glowstones cast a mild, greenish glow along the obsidian hallway. Boots tap against the polished floor as the sorceress in black robes and a Morihoth in blood-red pants walk through the halls, turning a corner as they near a study room in the obsidian-stone-construction palace.

She walks first through a pointed-arch doorway and gloats, "I told you what would happen. That _Hylian_ is still alive, and these events are only pushing her to become more powerful."

Agahnim looks up from his desk made of the same obsidian stone as the surrounding walls. "Daughter, didn't we discuss this earlier? I have a plan, there is method in my madness."

The sorceress crosses her arms. "Father, I never said it was mad. But why take so—"

Agahnim interrupts with a voice only slightly louder than regular speaking, but backed with tested authority. "To combat your enemies, you must know them."

The sorceress crosses her arms behind her back and the other Morihoth pulls down his hood, noting a cut in the thick material before he starts untying the stained-oak mask.

With his daughter quieted and listening, Agahnim continues at a milder tone. "Do you remember what happened to Ganon's plan to usurp Hyrule?"

The sorceress uncrosses her arms and sighs. Though she isn't arguing, she's clearly unhappy with being beaten by this argument yet again as she recites, "Yes, father. I remember he was unsuccessful. He refused to change his plans when Link joined the equation."

Agahnim exhales calmly. _That is why his failing will be my success, my freedom_. He puts a bookmark in the large tome he was reading and closes the leather-bound book. "Right now, the Baelnorn is dealing with Link. He has created a new prototype." The great wizard stands. "Let us see how the Hylian knight fares."

…

* * *

… 

Reviewer Responses:

FanFictionFantom: You'll just have to see. But think: if Link gets paired up with somebody, would he be free to go on the next adventure?

BondisBest: Always glad to see that others appreciate my work, it's the only thing that keeps me writing. I would like to state that I am still writing even with my Zelda music CDs and game thousands of kilometers away. Never giving up!

…

* * *

… 

In the year 12 of King Daltus Hyrule, a great knight named Tragon rose from a once dishonored house. He saved the King from an assassin hired by the Gerudo, and personally lead the militias in battle against the desert raiders, finally bringing security to Hyrule's western border.

— Excerpt from the Hylian tomes of the line of the True Knights


	17. The Beast of Hera's Tower

The Legend of Zelda: The Warrior Prince

…

…

**Chapter 16: The Beast of Hera's Tower**

…

The large chest pops open with a click. Floating inside is a small box of stained cherry wood. Link carefully takes it out and opens the small box to discover a silver ring. Set on the ring is a green stone lit from within by a magical green fire-light. Navi gasps from the lamp, "It's the sacred Energy Ring!"

"That's nice," he drawls, voice dripping with unimpressed sarcasm.The young Hylian slips it onto the ring finger on his left hand. He doesn't feel any different. "What's it do?"

"It allows weapons imbued with sacred energy to fire a phantom blade like an arrow from a bow, just be careful not to expend your energy, because it draws from your mana." Navi quiets and centers herself in the lamp.

Link swings his sword as he has a thousand times before. Nothing happens. "Wasn't it supposed to shoot a sword beam?" He tries again, willing his golden blade to fire this 'phantom blade' that it's supposed to shoot, and this time a semi-transparent twin of his blade shoots off straight at the block he aimed at. He smiles and says, "Anything else?"

"Roll forward!"

"Wha—?"

Dust and stone explode from the ceiling, billowing through the maze. Link hears stone fragments start impacting the walls around him and he throws himself over the chest to use it as cover just before a block of stone crashes right where he stood.

He whips out his shield and Navi shouts, "Run!" She shines a cone of light and Link follows it through the maze as whatever crashed through the ceiling smashes through the walls at him.

Forward, right, left, the knight follows Navi's direction as she guides him through the maze, running from the beast powering straight through the stone block walls.

The dust settles, and Link turns around to see the blob-like amalgamation of Goron and Dwarf corpses rearing up over the rubble strewn with spikes from the floor above.

"Oh, no way in h—"

A roar more thunderous than any lion blasts from the creature. After finishing the roar, it rears up, coalescing into its semi-humanoid shape. "_I must be complete_."

Link jumps forward, kicking off a column to stay in the air, away from the spikes and the beast. He swings the golden blade and draws his Fire Rod. The Sword of Evil's Bane slices through a Goron-tentacle, causing it to shrivel back with a growl.

The debris-laden ground rushes up and Link kicks off a wall segment to keep above the spikes and beast. Another tentacle reaches up at him and the knight blasts the fire rod at it. The beast cries out and shrinks back, smashing through several walls and turning, disappearing into the remnants of the maze.

Link touches down on a relatively clear patch of floor and listens to the sounds of walls breaking as the beast approaches from one side. Stone blocks go flying and the agile knight dodges to one side, returning to the air between standing wall segments when the beast lunges, attempting to envelop him.

Link swings the Master Sword, shooting a sword-beam at the closing mass, then shoots another one. He kicks off another wall and a fat tentacle rises up to wrap around him. The Hylian charges his sword and unleashes a spin, slashing away at the corpse-mass and pulling the knight back up in the air.

He kicks off a pillar and brings his fire rod to bear, sending a series of fire bolts at the amalgamation. It roars and instinctively draws back, disappearing into the maze again. Link can easily hear the walls shattering as the beast moves. _There's not going to be any maze left at this rate_.

Navi brightens, fluttering around in the lamp. "The Deku Tree's never seen a creature like this before. Try those new bombs the Dwarves gave you."

The beast surges through a wall behind Link, nearly crushing the knight beneath stone blocks. He leaps forward and kicks off a pillar, back-flipping over another tentacle as he swings the Master Sword, chopping off a segment. The beast snarls and slaps at the knight, but he recovers and kicks off a pillar, readying one of the Nitro bombs the Dwarves sent with him after thawing his hand.

The small, barrel-shaped explosive hits the beast and bursts, but instead of a fiery explosion, a large implosion sucks at the creature, then blasts a shockwave out, tearing open a hole in the corpse amalgamation and briefly freezing it in shock.

_The fire rod didn't set it on fire before, but now_... Link follows his hunch and blasts the rod's power into the closing hole.

A shriek like none before bellows from the beast, and it retreats into the remnants of the maze. Link wrinkles his nose at the putrid stench of burning flesh from the wound he inflicted. The beast goes farther than previous times, smashing all the way to one of the outer walls with such force that the entire tower shakes.

The floor flings out from under him, sending the knight crashing into a spiked pile of debris. Needle-sharp steel slams through Link's tricep. Sickening plopping slaps at the ground in several spots around him, and Link stands to see several undead, most Octopods, pulling themselves at him. _This won't even be a challenge_.

The young Hylian swings back his sword and half-closes his eyes, rapidly focusing his energy for a spin attack. At the optimal time, he lets the Sword of Evil's Bane fly, and three Octopods disintegrate under the sacred blade's energy wash.

He nimbly jumps forward and plunges his golden sword forward into another Octopod, downing that foe before spinning lightly on the ball of his foot to swing his sword into a squirming undead Dodongo larva preparing to spit a ball of flame at him.

The wall explodes in front of him, and the agile knight dodges flinging stone blocks as the beast lunges at him. Before it has a chance to change direction, he chucks another Nitro bomb at it. The blob corpse-amalgamation snarls and tries to rear back as the canister hurtles into it, imploding with a unique 'bang' sound and tearing open a hole like before.

This time it starts to turn away earlier, but Link has already kicked off a pillar to shoot himself into the air and maintain a good shot. He sends a bolt of crimson fury into the wound ripped in the Beast. Embers flare and he almost thinks he's set fire to the inside of the amalgamation when it slaps a long tentacle at him.

The attack comes at him faster than he had ever seen the beast move before, and before he can even finish putting away his fire rod and drawing the golden Master Sword – cursing being reduced to one hand – the tentacle wraps around the knight.

"_Join me, and I will be perfect!_"

The knight growls, but before he can get out anything intelligible, the sickening mass wraps around him and his vision flashes white.

_Dwarves scream all around him, agony beyond anything he ever thought possible. The amalgamation of Goron corpses shirks off the attacks of the Dwarves' steel weapons as if they were nothing. Again and again the short warrior slashes his folded steel blade into the tentacle pressing into him, slowly melding with him, but his strength ebbs away. Again and again the amalgamation culls, 'join my flesh', and slowly he looses his will to resist_—

"NO!"

The golden blade strikes out like a dozen blades, a fury of sacred energy as the knight's spin attack rips him into the air, out of the shredded tentacle. The Beast roars and Link replies with one of his own as he throws another Nitro canister at it.

The amalgamation doesn't have time to escape the explosion, and the knight draws his fire rod as the explosion ruptures the corpse-blob again. He kicks off another wall segment just as he fires a powerful bolt of flames into the hole. Fire blazes and the Beast lights from the inside.

The Beast screams and thrashes, the stink of burning flesh filling the room. It coalesces and draws up, reaching through the hole in the ceiling that it made on its entrance.

Link watches it grab onto the edges of the stone floor/ceiling. _It's trying to escape_. "No way in Hyrule am I letting you get away alive!"

Heedless, the amalgamation escapes into the reaches of the tower, disappearing from view. Link wrinkles his nose and walks towards a pile of ashes marking the spot where the Beast left. A glint calls out to him from the burned flakes, and he blows the ashes out of the way to reveal a bronze key on the end of a burnt-off belt with dwarf markings on it. Link picks up the key with a strange notch in the teeth at the end.

The knight puts the key in his pouch and wall-leaps from standing wall segment to pillar until he reaches the stairs back up. Having recovered the compass which dispels evil's clouding magic, he knows exactly which direction to go. The ground floor remaining is still covered in the spike grid, but a large hole has taken out the center, destroying the beamos. Strangely, he notes that there is no hole in the ceiling, but he does smell the stink if burning leather as he climbs the stairs.

There is no sign of the Beast until Link reaches the room where he first faced it, noticing the two parallel lines of grids along the walls, spikes coming out at all strange angles just like on the floor below, except they wait to extend until he nears. The locked door bars his way up. He draws the key that burned off one of the dwarf parts of the amalgamation. Something shifts in the room above him.

_I know you're up there, you revolting . . . thing_. Link checks his belt, making sure both a few Nitro bombs and his fire rod are prepared once he reaches what will be the scene of battle upstairs. After taking a few seconds to psyche himself for battle, he is completely unprepared for what he finds.

An empty, boring room. No corpse amalgamation, there aren't even any traps he can spot. Just the thick, curving outer wall of the tower, and a few support pillars. Granted, there is the hole in the floor at one part of the circular room that the beast made when it retreated from him the first time, but other than that there isn't anything noteworthy. Navi echoes his unspoken sentiment, "Well, that was disappointing."

"I guess it's just up from here. I wouldn't have figured that it was small enough to fit through the stair wells." Link marches across the floor, sipping some of a health potion to heal his right arm from the spike that rammed through it in the basement battle. _So how'd it get past here without breaking through the floor?_

The next room is pretty much the same as he remembers when the dwarves took him through. The floor has been repaired, and a single door opens to a last stairwell leading up. A sub-floor dips down, and the Hylian knight pauses to reminisce. This was the exact room where he fought Moldorm many days ago.

"RUN!"

Link obeys Navi's shout, glancing up as he opens his mouth to ask why when he sees the corpse amalgamation dropping straight down on top of him from its hiding place clinging on the ceiling.

He rolls forward just barely in time to avoid the bulk of the Beast dropping on him, and with a burst from his Pegasus Boots he evades being enveloped by a hairsbreadth. The smell of death rushing down on him threatens to make him puke, but his experience in Mothula's lair has given him a stomach of steel and he drives on, whipping out a Nitro canister. He smiles as the Beast lands on it, unable to change its momentum in time.

The same _BAM_ rips it open, but the Beast shows a remarkable streak of adaptive intelligence this time by curling around and trying to use an undamaged Goron tentacle to block the fire bolt. Link snarls at it, "That's it, I'm making _sure_ this is our last fight."

"_The hunger!_"

The Beast rears up, coalescing into a faintly humanoid shape, reaching up to grab the ceiling. Instead of pulling itself up out of his reach, it only lifts itself up enough to slap its body down on the floor. Tiles fly up from the floor, revealing another stretch of two parallel lines of spike-grid.

It drops down and Link wastes no time to chuck another canister at it. He fires his rod at the point of impact before it even detonates, flaring up another charred spot on the amalgamation's body.

The Beast roars and gathers together next to one of the spike lines. Link hears a smashing and it begins to fall through a hole in the floor.

"No _way_ are you getting away from me this time!" He sprints forward and recklessly leaps into the hole after the Beast, reaching into his bag for another canister . . .

. . . and coming up empty. His brow furrows, but the knight isn't about to give up yet. Since he's out of Nitro canisters, he tosses a pair of regular bombs. The black, ceramic containers of black powder hit the blob and sink in as it tries to absorb them. A moment later they blow holes into it.

The Beast bellows and slaps a tentacle at the courageous Hylian as it lands on the floor of the circular room below. Unable to change his direction mid-air, the tentacle hits Link full-force and sends him crashing against the outer wall. He lands on his feet, fire rod in one hand and bomb in the other. He hurdles the bomb at the amalgamation and immediately begins blasting at it with the rod.

The Beast shrieks in pain and slaps three long tentacles at the Hylian knight. He ducks and rolls sideways under the first one, jumps over the second, and slashes his golden blade through the third as he backs away and kicks off a looming support pillar.

"_Join my—_"

"Shut up!" The knight throws another bomb at the coalescing blob. It slides away, but the blast still tears it open enough for the knight, blasting fire bolts at it like there was no tomorrow, to light its inside on fire. The smell of burning flesh infiltrates his nostrils and he resists the urge to retch.

Suddenly, the blob shoots out almost a dozen tentacles at the young Hylian. He runs back towards the support pillar and jumps, kicking off it in an attempt to distance himself from the mass of tentacles. He switches rod-hands and draws the Master Sword, using both to hold off the mass of tentacles at him. One shrivels back from the flaming touch of the fire rod, another falls in two against the golden Master Sword. One manages to grasp onto his leg until he chops it off and disgustedly kicks off the disintegrating lump.

It looks like the Beast is about to smash through the floor again, so Link bellows in challenge, charge-sprinting at the amalgamation with a bomb in his hand. He throws with all his strength and tears open another hole. Bolts scorch over the surface, but miss the quickly sealing hole.

Stone shatters as the amalgamation pounds down, returning to the first room Link fought it in. This time, he doesn't heedlessly throw himself into the hole, but he does quickly jump down, throwing a bomb before his feet hit the floor.

The Beast reaches up and pulls itself back up to the level above the instant before Link's bomb explodes. Link runs after it, aiming his hookshot at a support beam spanning the ceiling in the room above.

Spikes shoot up as the Beast maneuvers around the room, preparing to send another wave of tentacles at the knight. He doesn't give it the chance, throwing his last two bombs at it.

One tentacle slaps away the first bomb, but the second tears the Beast open, and it can't stop the series of fire bolts Link blasts into it. Already damaged many times by the magic of fire, it lights from the inside, shrieking unholy anger and pain as flames consume it from the inside. Holes that it recently sealed break back open, spilling tongues of the yellow-orange flames as it thrashes.

Fire spreads and at last the Beast is reduced to a huge pile of ashes.

Navi pulses in the lamp, having just finished communing with the Deku Tree. "Well, I guess all that's left is to take out the Necromancer at the top of the tower."

The top floor is open, brightly lit by wide, open pointed-arch windows. Green garden plants spring pleasantly from black soil in sills lining the half-height wall around the balcony at the top of the tower. Standing at the outside, looking out at the magnificent view is a centaur in well-fitted plate-mail armor, with a shining high wizard's staff in his right hand.The knight feels faint familiarity at the sight of the centaur, but he has no idea why.

"You must be Link, that Elf hero I've heard so much about." He turns around, and Link almost jumps. The centaur's right eye is a chilling icy blue, but the blood-shot left eye burns a fiery red. A smile spreads over his face as he ads, "To think that one so young could have defeated my master, Lord Ganon."

Link whips out the golden sword, only inciting laughter from the necromancer.

"You've done well to destroy my most powerful creation to date." The smile fades from the Baelnorn's face, and his tone quickly sours. "But I spent a great deal of time creating that prototype. You will pay for your interference..." The smirk returns. "...but not today."

Laughter fills the air as the Baelnorn lifts his staff, the four poison-green stones in it flaring with blinding light as he disappears, his arrogant laughter the last thing to slowly fade away.

_Somebody, help me!_

"Zelda!"


	18. Skull Wood

The Legend of Zelda: The Warrior Prince

…

…

**Chapter 17: Skull Woods **

…

Dimitri forces his heavy limbs to move and he circles the round hole in the clay-dirt of the Shadow Realm's Skull Forest. A slow current of air flows into the hole as the living labyrinth draws in its long inhale. The dodongo blinks his eyes at the unhealthy mist choking the forest air and sneezes. _Damn tainted magic, it's gonna make me sick_.

Footsteps near and the royal cavalry catches a glimpse of a faint yellow glow. He knows who it is even before the silhouette comes into focus. "Master! It's been hours!"

Raidon nods at his steed. He's taken his fair share of scrapes, but he has a high tolerance for pain and will-powers through it. There's a good reason his men say he has natural armor. He stops at the hole, the same opening he took the first time he entered the woods living labyrinth. "I went through this way once, are you sure this is the way forward?"

The dim yellow glow on his shoulder gives no response, not even a flap from her translucent wings.

The prince looks critically at the fairy. "Naomi? Don't keep telling me you're okay, you've been more and more lethargic since we reached the Shadow Realm."

Naomi gives a half-hearted beat of her wings. "The Deku Tree sustains us, but he has been so weakened he cannot reach me."

Raidon steps towards Dimitri, reaching for his Moon Pendant. Thefairy gasps in a breath and flaps up, making a determined show of strength. "If the Deku Tree dies, so do I."

The warrior prince gives a short nod at her courage. "Then let's get this over with." He jumps through the hole and lands on a pink, fleshy floor that he sinks a few inches into. The very walls around him expand and contract in a slow, steady rhythm. Filling most of the room except for a narrow walkway down the middle are two tall, book-lung structures.

Naomi grabs tightly onto the shoulder-guard on her partner's armor. "Hold your breath."

"Wha—?" The young Dunlarian is interrupted with the answer. The expanding book lungs reverse their motion, now expelling air so foul it makes him want to retch. A few minutes of the exhale passes before the air stills again and he can recover. "So _that_'s what those nasty blasts of air were! This place's breath!"

As he comes back up, he sees that the lungs have also expelled some mucus-covered, stringy-tentacled, mildly pulsating lumps that quickly lock onto the prince. His short swords slice through the first two easily, but the third quivers and crackles and throws Raidon back with a jolt. He growls and sheathes one sword to free his hand for a flamethrower, reducing the remaining jellyfish-like floaters to ash.

A membranous valve is the closed door barring the way forward, but he shreds his way through it and steps into the next space. This wide room stretches far to his left, a sinkhole-like opening slightly off-center. He doesn't pay any special attention until the room starts getting taller and the slope is increasing.

"What the – HYAAA!"

Something rips his foot out from under him and he looks 'down' to see a long, slavering tongue reaching up from the pit and wrapped around his ankle, pulling him in. He makes a desperate gambit to save himself by plunging a short sword into the steepening fleshy ground.

A thick, cyan liquid seeps out and the room around him quakes, a muffled roar echoes through the passage, but the tongue refuses to let go. Raidon jams his other leaf-blade into its sheath and the tongue suddenly slackens, then jerks, causing the embedded sword to shift and drawing another muted cry of pain.

Raidon draws his scimitar and his embedded sword loosens more as the room twists around him, trying to force him into the stomach pit. Raidon tries to dig his free boot into the fleshy floor, rapidly becoming more vertical than horizontal. Praying to God that he doesn't chop off his own leg in the process, Raidon squeezes his eyes shut and swings his scimitar. The pull on his leg vanishes and a bellow rips through the living cavern as it violently shakes.

Thefairy is tossed back and forth on his shoulder, barely able to keep a hold. "Elf, we need to get out of here!"

"No, really?"

The patch of 'ground' he's clinging to rises sharply, bringing the valve to the next room into plain sight. Raidon rips out his short sword and jumps. A mound rises up from the floor, blocking him. Raidon slams his short sword into it and pushes off to the door-valve at the first opportunity.

The membrane is stretched tightly over the opening, forcing Raidon to switch scimitar for leaf blade to shred through it. The living caverns quickly calm as he steps through the valve. One of the lanky, pale blue quadrupeds is waiting for him on the other side of the valve.

Raidon immediately slashes across its broad head, driving it back enough for the prince to situate himself for battle. The cut seals and the scrawny, sinewy creature rears up on its hindquarters and swipes at him like a bear. The warrior prince backs up and swings both blades, blocking one clawed hand and cutting off the other. The severed limb slowly floats back to its place as soon as it hits the floor, but the young Dunlarian doesn't wait before cross-chopping again, then walking over its reassembling pieces.

The next waltzer nears, Raidon sheathes his swords and sends it flying with a telekinetic pulse. The third one, at the far corner of the cavernous chamber, starts to lurch its way to the teen prince, who turns his focus on the beast.

"The treasure, elf, the treasure!"

The Dunlarian re-directs his concentration back at his goal, sprinting at the pod in the center of the room, dodging around a dark, lumpy mass extending from the ceiling. A loose coil of tendons hang down, supporting the thickly mucus-covered membranes forming the pod surround the long, thin box. A stiff, bony arch thrusts up from the pink fleshy floor, supporting the pod's shape.

It looks like a wide notch is missing in the white bone. The prince reaches into his belt pouch and takes out a segment of bone he found guarded by another beast elsewhere in the living catacombs. He looks at it suspiciously but steps forward to set it in the notch anyway. "It can't be. If this would've fit, why'd I find it so far . . . ?"

The bone snaps into place, fitting perfectly, even the seam disappears. The arch loosens as the pod inflates, then the membranes slither back into the ground and the tendons pull up into the ceiling as the bone slides into its space in the fleshy floor, leaving the box exposed.

Raidon kneels down in front of the box. He opens it, revealing a red, felt-lined, padded interior holding two short swords in beautiful, blue, hard leather sheathes with the image of a fire-breathing dragon guilding the sides. The young Dunlarian starts to reach out, it's almost like the swords are calling out to him.

They feel so light. Soft leather-wrapped handles rising seamlessly out of the beautiful sheathes a reinforced handguard extending out both sides. Raidon unsheathes one and marvels at the gleaming, leaf-bladed silver swords. At first he was worried by their light weight, but it is exquisitely balanced and fits in his hand like God crafted the blade specifically for _him_.

The mirror-like sides cast perfect reflections, except for narrow bands of runes in the language of the Ancients snaking gracefully down the side all the way to the tip like a stream down a hill.

The prince isn't aware that time slowed, but it must have because time speeds up and a waltzer he wasn't aware was pursuing him takes a swipe. The young warrior rolls out of the way and draws the other silver sword. When it swipes again, Raidon is prepared and swings his silver leaf sword into its forearm.

The appendage falls to the ground and the creature roars in pain, but this time it doesn't regenerate. The young prince smiles and runs at it, swinging, finally destroying the creature. The pleased grin on his face vanishes when a blow from behind sends him tumbling forward.

He briefly recalls Naomi's mention of his aura imbalance, and hopes what little meditation he got on the way to the portal was enough for a few blasts of his signature move.

The warrior springs to his feet and spins on the ball of his foot, swinging one blade to let loose a sword beam. The waltzer roars in surprise and lurches forward, rearing to bring both claws crashing down on him. The prince rolls backwards and shoots another sword beam as he comes back up, then hurls himself at the sinewy beast before it can recover.

Another enemy defeated, he turns to the northern door to get out and gasps. It's sealed tight by an opaque, impenetrable casing.

Something pulses, so powerful that a tremor passes through the fleshy floor of the room underneath his feet. Raidon turns to look back at the dark columns. All three have swollen and crackle with black lightning along their height. Raidon groans, "Oh, man . . ."

Naomi flutters up. "Oh, no. Navi told us the master of a den of evil would funnel dark magic through the den."

The Dunlarian looks suspiciously at his familiar. "I sense there's more in the foreboding tone of your voice than what you told me."

"This means Link never defeated the evil here last time." Naomi flutters weakly around, then settles back on the Dunlarian's shoulder. "I think this is it."

Confusion fills the teens' features for a moment. "Whoa, are you saying this whole thing I've been walking around in for six hours is the beast I'm supposed to defeat!" He starts confused, but the prince's voice rapidly escalates to an incredulous yell.

Before he can ask how he might accomplish his tack, a black bolt lashes out from one of the side columns at the Dunlarian. Raidon thrusts out his left arm, trusting his inhibitor bracer to block it.

No such luck.

The tainted magic is slightly nulled by the mithril of the bracer, but the disrupting stones fail to stop it and dark energy leaps through his body. As suddenly as the attack leapt out, the swollen column calms. Another one begins to violently twist, charging more black lightning.

Naomi cries out with unnecessary volume, "The swords, elf! Use the swords!"

Raidon understands what she's suggesting, but doesn't like it. Though his skill in deflection and parrying is improving, the last time he took parrying trials, he failed at the arrows stage.

Black magic permeates the room, their focal points swirling around the columns. Raidon holds up his swords and black lightning explodes at him. The prince thrusts his silver sword between the bolt and he, which reflects it off at the ceiling. The young Dunlarian angles his blade to send the continuing lightning at the nearest column.

Black magic tears into the thick, coal-black skin and the column spasms in pain. The bolt ceases and the whole living cavern stops, as if to recover from the assault of its own dark magic. Raidon is too aggressive to sit and wait, as soon as the lull begins, he takes off running at the cracked-open skin and thrusts his silver leaf blade in all the way to the hilt.

Cyan liquid – the lair's blood, most likely – gushes out. The warrior twists and drags the sword up to maximize the damage when the column heaves and bursts with black lightning.

Every muscle in Raidon's body seizes and it takes every ounce of his strength to pull himself away. The wounded pillar seethes with dark magic and lashes at the prince, but he swings his sword and reflects the bolt back into the angrily pulsating mass, tearing through its leathery skin again.

The column ceases its lightning attack sooner and the young warrior rushes it again, jamming his sword into the weakened crack, putting all of his weight on the handle to tear it out quickly before it can recover to shoot tainted magic into him again.

A storm crackles around the oozing, pulsating mass, so many bolts lash out that they start leaping back and forth from one column too another and back. It charges more than before, a swirling hurricane surrounding it before lashing out at Raidon. His swords reflect most of the bolt, but it is so large that several tendrils reach around the silver blade and surge into him.

The warrior prince bares his teeth and leans against the bolt, directing as much of it back into the swollen mass as possible. Leathery, black skin peels away under its own furious, redirected assault. Finally, it is unable to maintain the attack and the column stops, dangling limply from the ceiling.

Raidon shoves aside the pain and launches himself forward, both silver blades swinging this time. Cyan blood oozes out under his flurry of strikes when, without warning, the column snaps taught. It swells and swells, then explodes, spraying cyan ichor everywhere.

Naomi flies back up from behind the prince and states flatly, "One down, two to go."

…

* * *

…

Bright white glow stones illuminate the library of the obsidian palace. A crinkle resonates from on top of a stained mahogany desk as another page turns. A frustrated huff sounds and the heavy volume slams closed, creating a brief gust of air that lifts the pages of notes nearby.

Agahnim sets the green leather-bound book on top of a stack on the left corner of the desk. He reaches for a black leather book titled 'Temporal Dilation and the Currents of Mana' as a figure bursts into the area.

"Father! Why was I not informed of the attack against the _Princess's_ envoy to the Zora?" She spits out the specific royal title as if it was poison in her mouth.

Agahnim doesn't even stop reading. "Because of the probability that you might have slipped off and tried to kill the Hylian. You _do_ remember what I told you of her importance in this plan?"

The sorceress jams her fisted hands into the insides of her elbows with a very closed-off crossing of her arms but doesn't reply, with the exception of a glare than answers quite clearly.

Agahnim turns a page, reads for a bit, and jots down a sentence in his notes. "I want to hear you say aloud why you so want Princess Hyrule dead."

His daughter scoffs. "Father, really!"

He sits up and looks her in the eye. She squirms for a moment and he sets down his enchanted fountain pen. Slowly, she uncrosses her arms. "I always preferred him over his stuffy, highborn brother. _He_ understands the value of power. The focus, the precision . . ." She trails off, her eyes growing misty.

"Despite the fact that only the brother is considered legitimately in line by their courts?"

The sorceress scowls. "Nothing that couldn't be solved by offing him with his father. They'd have no choice but to appoint the second as heir." She smiled deviously. "We'd still get them, and _I'd_ have _him_."

"Speaking of 'him', that reminds me. The warrior prince should be nearing the heart of Skull Wood's warren." The sorcerer stands up and straightens his green felt robe. "I have events to set in motion."

…

* * *

…

A huge insect head rises up from the ground, its purple exoskeleton contrasting sharply with the pale clay-like dirt of the forest. Three huge eyes glance occasionally at the approaching Dunlarian before turning back to swivel at the unnatural forest around them.

Naomi makes a shocked gasp, "Desecration! This is where the Deku Tree should be!"

An insectile twitter comes from the circular mouth and its huge eyes set on the foreign prince. His stomach churns, but he refuses to show any outward sign of intimidation. _So this is it_. The last critical organ hides here, and then the giant beast draining the Deku Tree will die. "So what's left, the brain?"

The amber glow flaps up. "No, the Lymfa. It exists to kill intruders and protect it from divine energy."

Raidon steps cautiously through the wide open mouth. Inside is a small walkway dropping gently down into a yawning, open valve. The fairy lands on Raidon's shoulder guard and mentions, "Good thing Link's already done the hard work for us."

The prince scoffs. "A warrior does not shirk a challenge." He takes a step forward, then pauses. Naomi is amber. "Didn't you have a golden glow?"

The fairy flies up and flutters angrily, knowing she's expending more energy than she has. Even before entering the beast's core, it had locked onto her and started actively draining her. She knows she doesn't have long to live. Raidon doesn't. "No! Now get going!"

The next room is level, the normally loose skin of the floor is taught, creased over itself in four places and crinkled like an iris in the center. Naomi pauses, feeling a little dizzy and having increasing difficulty pulling thoughts together. When she speaks, she can't keep all of the weakness from her voice, "Now, if I could only remember which one lead downward towards the Lymfa."

A few pulsating, stringy-tentacled lumps float around the room, but otherwise there is no puzzle, no challenge. He practices shooting fire bolt a few times, only missing once until all six are ash. Raidon steps cautiously in, but the room doesn't so much as quiver. He draws a silver sword as he examines something gently poking up from the floor. "What do you make of this?" He asks as he jostles a feathery thing reaching out from the ground.

Naomi panicks when she sees him prodding it, "DON'T TOUCH—!"

It snaps into the ground with a "shoop" sound. The earth rumbles violently and the 'skin' under the young warrior's feet shoots out as the nearest crease relaxes, revealing a set of jaws bigger than him, filled with razor-sharp teeth, yawning open to swallow him.

"**Eru Illuvatar!**" The prince exclaims before jumping away from the glistening teeth, a long tongue snakes out at him. "Not this again!"

The Dunlarian chops off the approaching tip of the tentacle-tongue and it recoils with a shriek. Naomi shouts warning and Raidon spins around, draws, and swings his other sword, slicing through a reaching tentacle coming from a mouth-pit on the opposite corner of the room.

Navi flutters towards the middle of the room, shouting, "The iris hole, elf! Jump through!"

Another mouth opens up and Raidon swings at a return-jab from the first tentacle-tongue. He jumps down the narrow gap feet-first, four tentacles slapping through the air after him. A steep gullet drops him down into a wide hall, turning sharply to his left. What immediately catches his attention are four stone torches jutting out from their alcoves in the organic room. Each of them burn with a soft, pure yellow light.

"That's . . . strange."

Three waltzers lazily make their way towards him, but the young warrior had plenty of practice fighting against them with steel blades that couldn't truly destroy them. Now he practically walks through, leaf-blades singing through the air in a beautiful song only a warrior can appreciate.

Raidon sheathes his swords at the end of the hall. Something slides from his shoulder. "Naomi?" Down at his feet, a dark amber flow fades. "Naomi!"

When he first saw her, she looked little more than a golden bauble, but now he can clearly see her tiny fairy body, her glow almost gone. Gently, he bends down and picks her up in his hand. "C'mon, Naomi, we're almost done. The mission's almost over."

The little fairy smiles weakly. "Sorry, western elf. I can't be your soldier anymore."

The prince scowls and stands up. "Stop talking like that. I don't give up on my troops, don't _you_ give up!"

Naomi looks up at him. "Elf, I need you to do something for me."

The young Dunlarian bites back another retort, realizing that it's too late. "Of course, what is it?"

"Bring me back to the Deku Tree . . ." He starts back towards the entrance and Naomi draws in another haggard breath. ". . . after avenging me."

Her glow extinguishes and the fairy goes limp in his hand.

…

* * *

…

A ridge shoots up across the ground and Raidon turns away, a phantasmic wolf pack appearing around him as the wind whips past his ears. Not fast enough. A long, black spike spears into his quadricep, punching through his steel armor with only a little difficulty.

Before Raidon can recover, a huge, spiked tentacle swings through the air, smashing across his chest. One spike crashes through his chain mail, piercing his stomach and twisting up, snapping ribs. Raidon flies and coughs blood on hitting the wall. Red smatters a floor splattered with cyan blood. Spots flash in Raidon's vision and another ridge constricts in the floor beneath him.

Raidon throws himself aside and barely evades the spikes. Another tentacle uncoils from its socket near the top of the Lymfa, sprouts black spines with a flick, then swipes low at Raidon.

Silver crashes against a spiked tentacle whipping through the air, the collision sending out a shower of yellow sparks. The tentacle snaps back, coiling against its socket in the exposed Lymfa. Muscles in the ground tense, thrusting a ridge up under Raidon's feet.

Summoning his magic again to call on the Spirit of the Wolf, a brief phantasm of a pack of blue wolves flicker about him. The world seems to slow, yet air whistles past his pointed ears and he hopes that the speed the spell has granted him is enough for him to escape—

Long, black spines erupt from the ridge, shooting straight out with deadly force. The sharp projections miss the young warrior by a hairsbreadth. Another tentacle unfurls, spikes shoot out as it curls back in preparation for a wide power sweep. The Lymfa leverages itself up for the blow, exposing the pale skin of a leg-like supporting appendage.

Raidon lifts his free left hand and blasts a stream of fire at it, scorching the weak portion of the Lymfa. It shudders, along with the living cavern around him, and the warrior prince shoots a sword beam into the weak joint. The huge, slightly crustacean-looking organ wavers, then collapses, the chinks at the top of its armor finally coming in reach.

The young Dunlarian clambers up and thrusts his silver blade in between hard plates, levering up and imagining the beast's screams as he finally tears off a large, circular segment. The soft, weak flesh pulsates quiveringly, and the warrior stabs his sword down, twisting and wrenching the sacred leaf-blade as cyan blood gushes from the wound.

A roar rises above, and Raidon feels the beast shift. The Lymfa violently shakes, throwing him onto a rising ridge. Not enough time to run, he rolls, escaping two huge spikes but taking another straight into the arm. The young prince clenches his teeth but doesn't cry out. Dunlarians are taught that showing pain is advertising weakness.

The opening above, through which he entered the Lymfa's cavern, widens. A swarm of the stringy-tentacled floaters enters, and the prince starts blasting at them with fire bolts. Far too many enter, and he switches to full-fledged fireballs, but the swarm fills the room, surrounding him with hundreds of stinging tentacles.

The young warrior bellows, a strange feeling taking him as he feels the aura of his mana shifting, and he drops to a one-knee crouch with a growl, then springs up, thrusting out his arms. A nova of flames surround him, blasting through the living space and drawing another muffled roar from above.

The floaters . . . all of them burn to ash. Even the Lymfa is damaged significantly, a partially unfurled tentacle lies limply on the ground, spikes retracted. It starts to shift and Raidon shakes his head as he stands. _There is no pain, only purpose_.

The young warrior breaks out into a run. The Lymfa is standing itself back up. Raidon leaps, blades held back like a javelinier preparing to throw. Silver catches the edge of a hard shell . . .

. . . and plunges into the soft flesh on the other side. The killing organ thrashes wildly for a few moments, but soon stills, then sags. The hard shell slides apart and the Lymfa seems to melt. There is the sound of a long sigh emanating above him, and the whole chamber relaxes, as if it didn't have the energy to hold itself up.

The prince wipes and sheathes his swords before heading towards the exit when he hears a voice cry out in his head.

_Somebody, help me!_


	19. The White Castle

The Legend of Zelda: The Warrior Prince

…

…

**Chapter 18: The ** **White****** **Castle******

…

Steel meets steel and sparks fly. Impa's boot strikes a swordsman's jaw, sounding a 'crack' and knocking him to the ground. She reaches her sickle over her shoulder, catching an incoming spear and flinging it harmlessly into the air. A quick pivot on the ball of her foot, and she brings her other sickle across the Morihoth's front.

A sword chops down at the captain of the Royal Guard and she sends it to the side, finishing off by planting a strong kick on the swordsman's sternum, sending him tumbling over the grass. Just when she thinks she has an opening to get to the princess, another Morihoth jumps in the way.

Zelda is holding off three Morihoth rather well. Her silk dress whips about as she pivots and spins, quarterstaff flashing like a steel wall between her and her assailants. A lightning bolt flashes at her from a spot on the wall ringing the welcoming courtyard. Zelda thrusts out her left hand, using her own lightning magic to block her attacker's, but she has to slow and concentrate to fend off the sorcerer's bolt.

Another black steel blade slashes at her, and Zelda bats it away with her quarterstaff. A bladed staff comes at her from behind and a spiked mace from straight ahead. She barely has time to deflect the staff before the mace-wielder lets loose a blood-curdling cry and rushes. Still slowed and restricted to one hand, she whips her quarterstaff with all the strength she can manage at him to block his heavy mace.

The mace-wielder is much stronger than the princess, and he recovers easily, charging straight back at her. She slaps the staff at him again, and he laughs as he pushes away her weak attack before drawing back to strike again. Zelda grinds her teeth and swings with all her might, having almost no effect. _Somebody, help me!_

The spiked ball of black steel comes at her again, and this time her quarterstaff can't stop the blow. The princess falls back, lightning overwhelming her. She can only grit her teeth as an arrow flits through the air.

_Arrow? There aren't any Morihoth arch_—

The silver arrow slams into the sorcerer's chest and he falls over the ramparts to a crumpled heap with a thud. Six Morihoth, including the mace-wielder about to smash in Zelda's head, break off to engage the entering figure clad in red chain-mail.

His golden blade sings to life in the early morning, flashing through the air with the skill of Hyrule's greatest swordsman. He deflects a blow to his right, then backflips over a sorcerer as two blades of black steel swish through the air where he was. The sorcerer whips around, a fireball charging in his hands.

Link readies his shield for the spell, and a mace comes at him in the corner of his eye. He barely moves the shield in time, but the blow still sends him flying. One Morihoth is about to stab his sword down into Link's prone body when a sweeping blur of red-brown roars in.

The dodongo brushes a gaggle of Morihoth aside like leaves in the wind, sliding to a stop across the flower garden of the welcome courtyard, uprooting an entire snapdragon display. His rider jumps off with a practiced leap, Dunlan steel plate-mail glinting in the morning sun.

The warrior prince lands with his scimitar in his hands, surrounded by Morihoth on three sides, and Dimitri behind. His loyal steed bellows and tears off after the black-clad intruders.

Raidon lets his eyes half-close and grips his scimitar in both hands, drawing it up so the handle hovers above his right shoulder, steady as a rock as magic energy slowly seeps into it. A visible aura slowly bleeds from the steel blade: navy blue, slowly brightening and greening. The prince senses more than hears or sees a Morihoth blade swinging at his exposed throat, and Link is shocked to see a maneuver that he thought only he knew.

The wide, steel blade cleaves through everything in its path as it crushes in a circle around his holder, unleashing circular waves of energy like the throes of a furious dragon. A ring of Morihoth fly away from the power of the warrior's sword-spin, crashing into trees, bushes, and the white marble walls of the welcoming courtyard.

Morihoth begin their retreat, the '_BREEEW_' sound echoing from every corner of the singed courtyard. Raidon plants his scimitar into the ground, barely able to stand, his wounds from fighting the Morihoth and Lymfa fighting with his willpower.

Link deflects a head swipe, but before his counter-attack can land, his Morihoth teleports out. His eyes snap wide and he cries out, "Raidon!"

Zelda's eyes dart down Link's gaze, but all she sees is brown and the gray of steel as a veritable wall of red-brown swings into the Dunlarian prince, Dimitri roaring from the black spear thrust into his left eye. The princess blasts ice at the Morihoth spearman, driving him back to the Dark World.

Steel surges into the courtyard and the Hylian knights enter with a way cry . . . finding an already won battle. Link wipes the Master Sword and sheathes it as he greets them snidely. "Great timing, guys. Always ready."

…

* * *

…

"My liege?" The voice is familiar, but muffled, as if drifting through a thick wall.

Raidon slowly opens his eyes. Captain Koyu is standing next to his bed, waiting patiently. The young Dunlarian sits up quickly, his hand shooting to the base of his rib cage. There's no longer any hole, but then he realizes he's no longer wearing his armor . . . or his utility belt, with its leather pouches. "Naomi!"

The captain of the guard steps back, puzzled. "Sir?"

The prince looks around for his belongings, but sees nothing besides other beds and wounded in the hospital room of the castle. "Naomi, she's the fairy the Deku Tree sent with me." He doesn't see any sign of his leather pouch, and he cups his hands together in defeat, he can almost see the tiny being in his palms. "She died, but in her last breath she asked me to bring her back to the Deku Tree."

Koyu furrows his brow as he thinks, but his expression becomes impassive again. "Well, I didn't search through your things, but I rushed your armor to the Hylian Dwarves for repairs. It should be back in a few hours." He folds his arms. "Now, sir, I must ask what you were doing in the Welcoming Courtyard."

The young warrior looks down, and to his surprise his hair falls in his eyes. He always kept it tied back in a low ponytail. Raidon brushes a hand through his long, brown hair, noting that both ties are gone and his hair is loose. Worry starts to grip him, but then he feels the thin, special braid of hair from his left temple is intact.

One of the Hylians in the corner moans, returning the warrior to the present. _The captain's question_, the prince reminds himself. "I heard a voice in my mind, crying for help. I . . . knew I heard it from here." He chuckles, thinking how strange it must sound, but when he looks up, Koyu isn't wearing the expression he expected.

The captain of the guard has a look of deep thought and concern. "Well, if there was any doubt, now we know the blood of the True Knights flows through your veins." His voice drops in volume. "And that of the True Rulers in hers."

"In . . . Zelda was there?" The prince is on his feet, Koyu's robe in his fists in a heartbeat. "Where is she? Is she all right?"

The Dunlarian captain looks inquisitively at the teen gripping him. "You didn't see her?" The young warrior glares and the elder lets out a relieved sound. "Oh. She's fine, apparently their princess is quite the fighter."

A Hylian attendant runs up to Koyu, huffing and puffing from a long sprint. "Captain of the Dunlarian Platinum Guard. The mail from Dunlar just came in. Proconsul Markus de . . . _requests_ your immediate presence."

Koyu politely removes Raidon's hands from the robe over his battle armor. "If I may take my leave, my prince?" Raidon nods and sits down, his expression so forlorn that the captain regrets having his duty snatch him so quickly. He looks over his shoulder as he heads out and mutters to himself, "Ever since my brother, Jenhan, died, that boy must be so alone."

The captain steps through the doorway and bumps into a blond Hylian teen in red chain-mail. Koyu steps around Link and walks off wordlessly. It takes a minute for Link to find Raidon because the Dunlarian is wearing a Hylian tunic and his hair is loose, which he has never seen before.

As Link enters the room, Raidon is brushing his hair back and looking for a tie. The Hylian knight notices a thin braid, about a quarter-inch wide, extending from the hair on his left temple. "What's that?"

The warrior looks up at the knight and gives up on trying to hold his hair back with his bare hands. He grasps the braid in question and answers, "Each braid segment represents a trial I've successfully completed." He points to the first segment. "This represents the Trial of Courage, a warrior's first test. 'A warrior must have the courage to face battle and stand firm in defense of what's right.'"

The prince moves his fingers to the next segment. "This represents the Trial of Wisdom. 'A warrior must have wisdom to properly pick and choose which battles to fight, and in order to properly fight the battles he acts in.'"

Link points at one of the knots. "Is there anything significant about that knot?"

"No, they're just separators." The Dunlarian points to the third segment. "This one represents the Trial of Power. 'A warrior must have power or no amount of bravery will prevail, and the sharpest mind will atrophy.'"

"Ah, like the testaments of rite to wield the Master Sword."

"Hold on, I'm not done yet. This one is Unity. Unity is the balanced bringing together of all elements; of mind, body, and soul. Unity can bring together normally opposing elements, utilizing the greatest strengths and shielding weaknesses. Unity brings Courage to apply Wisdom to temper Power. With unity, a warrior is balanced, he is better prepared to change, to adapt more quickly than his enemy, and _that_ is what brings victory."

The knight lets out a breath in a puff. "Well . . . that was a lot. Just for those three inches?" The Dunlarian nods, and the young Hylian glances at the many links below it. "What are all the other ones?"

"Some are bonds of earned brotherhood." The warrior points to each as he explains it. "This is for the holy fast of Brahmin with the Rastans. This is for the Gorgon Sandworm Hunt, a rite of passage for hunters and warriors of the Gorgon Sandmen. The participation in the Dance of the Dragon with the Dwarves of the Kai Mountains – a ha!"

The young Dunlarian spots a strip of cotton cloth. He sits down on the edge of the mattress as he gathers his hair and ties it back into a low pony tail, hiding the braid within his long hair.

"Why do you hide it?" Link asks, gesturing to his ponytail with a nod of his head.

Raidon sighs lightly. "Too many people in the royal courts barely gain these honors, and they show them off, degrading the honor. Sometimes they adorn the pure simplicity with jewels and gold. Mine I _earned_." The prince finishes with a slight huff. He continues looking around for another strip of cloth to tie the end of his hair as he asks, "So, did you just come down here to ask about my braid?"

The knight glances around suspiciously, then sits down next to Raidon. He leans close and asks in a hushed tone, "Can I ask you about Markus?"

The prince's eyes narrow and his lips turn up in a silent snarl just at the mention of the proconsul's name. "He's slime. What else do you want to know?"

Link tries to keep from pulling his hair out from aggravation. "Like . . . what's his job in Dunlar?"

Raidon crosses his arms. "Proconsul, chief advisor of the royalty, especially the emperor. He's my father's right hand."

The Hylian purses his lips in consideration. "Hmm. Does he know magic?"

The prince lets out a 'humph'. "He rarely misses a chance to remind me in some subtle way that he's better. The Magi Council even conferred on him the rank of Triadic Floe Master. He claims he doesn't use magic any more, but magic is a way of life, you _can't_ just . . . give it up." He looks suspiciously at the knight. "Why? Has he gotten on your bad side?"

"No, not exactly. It's just I'm always tripping over him when I'm in the Palace, people _know_ when he's around, so they know when he's not around."

Raidon's eyebrow rises, not certain at the knight's implication. "What are you saying?"

Link leans even closer and drops his voice further. "The King was in council – this was while we were in Gerudan, I found out from the other knights – Markus was waiting for the council to end, then he disappeared. The next minute, that snarl-masked Morihoth brought some friends and attacked. Fortunately, the knights have increased security and drove them off before anybody got killed."

"Okay, and . . . ?" Raidon crosses his arms, looking bored.

"I've got two more. Where was he when the Morihoth attacked King Hyrule?"

"Link, you were there. He was in the envoy with me."

"Then where was he when the arch-wizards arrived? Raidon, I know that you weren't with the attack, but you were foreigners, so I kept a close eye on you. There was a bit of confusion when the attack hit, but once I recounted you, Markus wasn't there."

The knight pauses to glance around, as if afraid somebody might be listening in, then looks back to the young Dunlarian sitting beside him. "Last Tuesday, just a few hours after mid-day, Markus was absent for an appointment with one of the Hylian nobles. Nobody saw him until five hours later." Before Raidon can present a counter-statement, Link ads, "You remember the Morihoth, the one you said was the snarling one who tried to kill you?"

Raidon shakes his head. "He could have killed me a few times over before you returned. He was toying with me the entire time." His eyes drift down and he mutters, "But now . . . it makes sense. His toying with me, always letting me know he's better. He's always hated me for my mother."

Link takes a bit of distance and stares in silent question.

The Dunlarian explains, "Ellanore, Naku's mother, was assassinated by dissidents for the continuing famines. We had conquered the Zorhadrim recently, and their prince was about to be born, so the emperor remarried to a royal knight of the True Knights, my mother."

The prince stands up. "If mail came in, and Markus summoned captain Koyu . . . I'll see you in a few hours."

A confused-looking Hylian messenger walks in the same instant the young Dunlarian steps out the door. "Prince Raidon?"

The young warrior halts just outside the door. "Yes?"

"Proconsul Markus summons you to the Peace Meditation Courtyard."


	20. Disobedience

The Legend of Zelda: The Warrior Prince

…

…

**Chapter 19: Disobedience **

…

Again and again, the vision of a Hylian messenger surfaces in her mind. The humble messenger stutters out his report of 'a prince Raidon's' death. _It doesn't make any sense. It's not at the hands of the Gerudo anymore, but he's in __Hyrule_ _Palace__, he should be safe_.

"My lady?" Princess Zelda opens her eyes at the familiar voice. Her handmaiden, Malle, is standing before her, hands clasped before her as she holds a shallow bow. "You're late for your Ancient Hylian lessons again. You really shouldn't still be here, my lady."

Zelda smiles and her handmaiden relaxes. "You're right, Malle. My meditation here has been pretty fruitless, anyway."

The sixteen-year-old handmaiden smiles mischeviously at her princess. "No more visions of that handsome man?"

Zelda's smile widens as she swats playfully at her handmaiden. Two people barge into the courtyard from the main entrance. A strange twist takes hold in her stomach and the princess follows a gut feeling and hides behind a thick copse of trees, dragging Malle with her.

The princess spies a hint of red as she hides and hears Link's voice reach through the enclosed garden. "Well, here it is. Sorry it took so long, it's been a while."

Raidon looks around, nonplussed. "Nobody's here. What a surprise." He kicks a flower patch. "Damn it, I'm a prince! This is the last time that rat bastard keeps me waiting!"

_Buhrrreeee!_

Link whips out the Master Sword, calling in surprise, "Morihoth!"

Raidon smiles – despite not having his beloved swords, he now has an outlet for his frustration. Even better, on the way to the small courtyard he ran into Reyak, who removed another stone on his inhibitor bracelet.

'Pawn' Morihoth begin the attack, causing little trouble to the experienced fighters, but within a minute another two figures teleport into the small garden. Cloaked masters of the black-clad invaders appear, their abyssal black clothing almost make it look like the sun has disappeared, every shadow in the garden grows.

They stand still for a moment and all of time seems to pause with them. Finally, time resumes as one makes a beeline for Link, the other for Raidon, and the pawns back off to let the greater powers battle.

Link catches his boomerang, another pawn down, and raises his golden sword against his approaching enemy. His opponent acts with a calm slowness, reaching across his hip and drawing a long, black steel sword with an ominous shink. Link swings, and the arch-swordsman's blade is already in place to block. Link gulps – he didn't even see the Morihoth move.

Raidon is having even more trouble, his opponent is keeping out of reach of his Moon Dagger, and none of his spells are getting through the black-clad foe. He shoots a water ball, the arch-wizard blocks with a fire ball.

The wizard sends a continuous stream of ice at the prince. The young Dunlarian returns with a flamethrower and has to divert both hands just to slow down the ice.

The arch-wizard ceases his frost funnel and Raidon seizes the initiative. With his newly unlocked water magic, he sends a shock of water like the blast from a firehose as he charges forward.

The surprised archwizard responds with a flame thrower, but the antithesis of his magic quickly roars through his fire. Raidon side-steps and flanks, smashing his elbow across the side of the archwizard's head.

The voluminous hood falls to reveal a stained cherry-wood of a furious, snarling mask. The prince doesn't even have time to say 'uh-oh' before a lightning bolt flares out, slamming him into the white marble wall.

Snarler flings a huge fire ball, the warrior tries to stop it with a water ball, but only causes a premature detonation. The flames wash over him and the prince goes down with a yelp. The Dunlarian doesn't see anything more before the arch-wizard smashes him into the marble wall again.

Link knocks away the arch-swordsman's blade with his mirror shield and makes a wild swing with the Master Sword. The arch-swordsman easily blocks, and continues to circle the Hylian in an attempt to find an opening in his defenses. Black meets gold again and Link pushes forward, lashing out with a kick.

His boot strikes right in the swordsman's diaphragm and the young Hylian glances for Raidon and spots his foreign comrade's limp form as the arch-wizard leans down over him and starts to pick him up.

Link whips out his fire rod and shoots a bolt at Snarler. He has to drop Raidon to block the bolt, but replies faster than the knight was prepared with an ice ball of his own. The Hylian reflects the ice spell with his mirror shield and brings up the Master Sword barely in time to block the swordsman.

A jet of flames streak at the knight and graze his the red chain-mail protecting his arm before he can swing his sword in the way, deflecting the stream of powerful magic. Black swings at him and Link twists, just barely blocking the long sword. Black steel sings through the air and the knight knocks it away again, catching another graze from the flame-thrower in the process.

The Dunlarian gets up and grits his teeth to keep in a groan and notices Link quickly being driven back by the two arch-Morihoth. The brave prince holds out both hands and roars, "Eat lightning, Morihoth!"

The surprise of the prince's bellowed challenge gives Link just enough time to block the swordsman, then Raidon releases a chain lightning, sending the bolt through a pawn before striking the arch-sorcerer, arch-swordsman, and two more pawns on the other side of the circle.

The sorcerer growls and shoots a bolt of his own lightning, blocking the prince, and the jostling ring of pawns suddenly explode. The wide sweep of a quarterstaff sends one of the lesser Morihoth flying and Link's sacred blade finally scores into his opponent, who retreats back into the Dark World.

Raidon summons his dropped Moon Dagger to his left hand with a simple call of telekinetic magic and swings at one of the two pawns closing on him fast in addition to Snarler, who has switched to sending a series of ice shards like a volley of spearheads.

Link clearly sees that the prince can't deal with the closing volume of enemies as is, and his arm acts before he can consider the possibility that the Dunlarian might not be able to wield the Master Sword: he throws it.

Raidon catches the golden blade and executes a quick sword-spin, downing three lesser Morihoth. Link draws the Megaton Hammer and both fighters rush Snarler as the enemy tries to throw a series of fireballs at a third fighter, but the arch-sorcerer teleports to the safety of the Dark World before the heroes' weapons touch him. One last pawn battles the third combatant, who smashes a quarterstaff against his rib cage, sending him into retreat too.

Link calmly sheathes his hammer, but the prince almost drops the Master Sword at the sight of the most beautiful woman he's ever seen gracefully dispatching the final Morihoth pawn, her blond hair swishing through the air like golden waves of grain in the evening Hylian sun.

The current afternoon light falls on her delicately framed face, and her eyes . . . sapphire orbs that make him feel weightless, like he's floating on an endless sea—

"Hello! Hyrule to Raidon!"

Raidon jumps at the knight's snap and Zelda gasps, "You're the man of my dreams." Link stares at Zelda and she blushes, realizing what she just said. "You're prince Raidon?"

The Dunlarian stands dumbstruck, still staring, and finally manages to make himself nod. "Zelda?"

She tries to swallow the lump forming in her throat, and only manages to blush further before her handmaiden exclaims, "My lady! We need to get out of here!" Malle grabs her princess by the hand and drags her out, though Zelda and Raidon maintain eye lock until Zelda disappears into the hallways.

"Yoo-hoo! Dunlarian!" The prince blinks and looks irritatedly at Link, who shrugs off the glare and rolls his eyes. "Man, you're acting even worse than when _I_ first saw her."

Raidon glares pointedly and stomps off into the castle without a word.

…

* * *

… 

They plod through the hallways of the Obsidian Palace wordlessly. The glowstones seem dimmer, as if with-holding their light to the very tense sorceress. She hopes that the foreshadowing is just manufacture in her nervous mind. Her Morihoth escorts round a corner, the library dead ahead.

The sorceress passes through the pointed-arch door alone and proceeds to her father, at his usual table, pouring through an ancient manuscript and scribbling in his notes. He doesn't yell or glare, Agahnim is the very picture of calm. When he speaks, his voice is carefully quiet and even, "I know you heard me the many times I told you not to interfere with the knight or princess."

The sorceress cringes but tries to minimize the gesture. _Maybe he doesn't know . . . Maybe I can bluff my way out of this_. "Now, father, was I at the Hylian—?"

Agahnim interrupts her by reaching behind a stack of books and tossing a wooden mask onto the table in front of her. A stained cherry-wood mask, intricately carved to resemble the face of a snarling man.

The sorcereress's hands clench into fists. _He snitched on me! If I ever get my hands on that bastard . . _. "But you said we needed the prince!"

"We only need him to open up Dunlar Palace. He is the least useful of the three." Agahnim's daughter trembles with rage, his calm only infuriating her more. He hasn't even looked up from his book, and he doesn't when he adds, "I expected you to be capable of looking past your personal feelings. Yet you disappointed me."

Strong hands grasp her from behind and before she realizes what's happening, a filled inhibitor bracer locks over each forearm.

"It pains me to have to do this to you, daughter, but you will have to earn back the trust." He rests his hand beside his notes and looks her straight in the eye, pity – not anger – in his gaze. "Just ponder these words: _Wanting_ is not the same as _needing_."


	21. Homeward Bound

The Legend of Zelda: The Warrior Prince

…

…

**Chapter 20: Homeward Bound**

…

Raidon runs his fingers along the edge of the steel Hylian Knight shield, the piece of hand-held armor like an oversized kite shield but remarkably light. It contrasts with his Dunlan plate-mail due to the Hylian crest, but otherwise fits with the armed-to-the-teeth prince. "I have to admit it, Hylian Dwarves are good. I should've stopped by and bought one of these a while ago."

"You could've," Link points out, grinning when the prince narrows his eyes.

Raidon scowls. "I didn't think of it before now! Besides, mana shell never failed me until today." He pauses. _Not really_.

Link points into a spiral stairwell to direct the prince, then at the shield to draw the focus back to it. "You're not on easy street yet. That shield can't block a lot of magic."

The Dunlarian teen turns up his nose in mock arrogance. "That's where _my_ magic comes in."

Link reaches for his ocarina and considers arguing that his magic hasn't been enough so far, but errs on the side of caution. "Well, whatever. Here's the aviary, where Dunlar's mail comes in." Link lifts his ocarina to his lips, but is interrupted.

"Where are you going?"

"Home. I've got some things I've been meaning to pick up," the knight answers simply, before playing the Herder's Rite.

Raidon shrugs and walks into the room. Everybody stands at attention and the space suddenly goes silent. The teen looks suspiciously around. "Stand easy. What news came in from the empire?"

Trindae, an advisor to the royal family, neutrally ventures, "Sire, were you not summoned to the Meditation Courtyard?"

The prince crosses his arms and looks him dead in the eyes. "Yes, and I fought through the ambush there. So sorry your plan failed." _Lackey of Markus_.

Several of the people in the room gasp and the Hylian attendant hurriedly excuses himself. In light of Raidon's statement, nobody notices. Though the young Dunlarian isn't technically in line to rule, the implication isn't exactly treason, but a significant portion of the empire stands behind the Warrior Prince.

"Trindae, you are dismissed."

A few tense seconds pass and it's obvious that the advisor wants to argue, but thinks the wiser of it and walks stiffly out. Another advisor follows without a word. Only Captain Koyu and a Dunlarian guard remain.

Now that he's not busy returning glares, he takes the time to look at captain of the guard. He's never looked so somber, so distracted. Slowly, the prince ventures, "I assume that news came in. What happened?"

Koyu sighs, collecting his thoughts before he addresses his prince. "There has been an assault on Camp David by the Moblins in Gerudan. Only twelve cavalry scouts escaped. In Dunlar . . . Brent Spire City was attacked by the Morihoth. The message indicates that now beasts commanded by the Morihoth freely roam the streets."

"Our country needs us. What are we waiting for?"

The guard produces a letter in a Hylian envelope. Raidon sighs and seems ready to collapse. He's torn between the desire to stay and the need to go home and save his country.

"My liege . . . the rest of us could go and you could remain to attend to Hyrule. You told us how you saved Kokiri Frest—"

"Don't make this any harder than it has to be, captain. My duty first is to my people. Besides, my father would never allow the marriage until the Wheat Road is complete." The prince presses the palms of his hands against his eyes. "I'll take the royal guard, but the rest of the envoy should stay here in Hyule to complete preparations for the wedding.

Koyu bows in acknowledgement, followed by the guard. "Yes, my liege. When do we depart?"

"As soon as I receive permission from the King, have everyone meet in the Welcoming Courtyard." Raidon glances at Zelda's letter in his hand on the way out, muttering, "I hate putting things off."

…

* * *

… 

Another set of aged books falls on the head of the interepid hero, Link, who replies with a string of curses. "Damn it, where the hell is it?" The knight haphazardly tosses the books up on the shelf, flinching slightly as the 'bam' of their sloppy striking of the shelf reminds him how much his house is starting to look like when the Morihoth ransacked it

The teen Hylian sighs. He found the three medallions where he hid them in his room, along with most of the rest of his things. All that's left is the Moon Pearl and magic cape, though he can't quite think of where he left them. His stomach grumbles and Link decides to get some more jerky to snack on while he thinks, so he ducks into the root cellar.

The dry, cool air billows over him and the dark, low room greets him with a flood of memories.

Link's uncle, Krono, was a huntsman before he became a knight like his brother Tragon, and after Krono was injured in a raid by the Gerudo he took up hunting again. The old man spent long hours resting down here after returning from hunting trips. This is where he recounted many long legends of the True Knights.

Link opens a wax-lined box and draws another piece of dried meat. Mentally, he goes through the list of hiding spaces. The Hylian wouldn't have put it in any open spots, though he already checked all of those. That spot under the floor in the bedroom held the Cane of Somaria, the Cane of Byrna was hidden in that sneaky compartment in the ceiling, a space hidden in the fireplace contained the hookshot.

The young knight leans back against the wall and the stone under his shoulder sinks into the wall and he slaps his forehead. _The last place . . . it's always got to be the last place in the house . . _. He turns around at the stone and the feeling of relief vanishes when he sees the stone, mostly flush with the surface.

_That's not how it's supposed to be_.

The blue-gray rock normally is not quite a quarter inch indented from the rest of the wall, to open the space he pushed in the left side, rotating the right out until it could be grabbed. Link tries to ignore the anxiety pooling in his stomach like peat in a bog as he removes the stone. An empty alcove lies beyond.

"Damn!"

A shrill bird call pierces from somewhere above, so loud that it makes the teen wince. It calls again and Link replaces the stone and goes outside to investigate the annoying sound. He steps outside just as the bird shrieks again. A bright blue bird with a white chest and long plumage perches on his mailbox. A courier not is tied to its leg.

_Sir Link,_

_You have been summoned for an urgent mission by the Royal House. Make haste to the Welcoming Courtyard_.

Surely enough, a stamp of the Hylian Royal Crest marks the end of the note. Link softly speaks to himself, "I wonder what this is all about," as he raises his ocarina to his lips.

…

* * *

… 

Sparkles of light fall away as the knight appears. There are six Dunlarians sitting on the stairs at the grand main entrance. Two Royal Guard in graceful Dunlan plate-mail, Captain Koyu, Prince Raidon, and two unrecognized Dunlarians in leather body armor. Nobody speaks, even the wind seems to hold silent. All of the Dunlarians are thoroughly inspecting their weapons. Captain Koyu notices Link and ducks inside.

The Hylian knight asks no one in particular, "So, what's going on?"

One of the leather-armored Dunlarians answers in a deep, slightly gravely voice. "Revolt in Dunlar Valley. The empire is breaking into civil war. We need to ride to the empire's aid as soon as possible."

"Why the immediacy?" Link tries not to mention that if they've received the news through the standard courier pigeons, they're probably too late to do anything.

"They say the Morihoth ride with the traitors."

…

* * *

… 

Reviewer Responses:

FanFictionFantom: Link has some unique opportunities, you can be sure he'll be doing things like that in the future. As to the connection between the Proconsul and the forces of darkness, that will become clear soon. After all, the main theme of this story is the betrayal of trust, and building it up.

BondisBest: Oh, you have no idea... And I will work harder to update more often.

Kinda-Mayvelle: I'm honored by the emotional intensity that the story's creating.

Sir Miles: Though Link still doesn't know where his Magic Cape and Moon Pearl is, their location will be revealed in the near future.

Thank you all for reading, don't forget to review!


	22. Down the Dark Path

The Legend of Zelda: The Warrior Prince

…

…

**Chapter 21: Down the Dark Path **

…

"Why the immediacy?" Link tries not to mention that if they've received the news through the standard courier pigeons, they're probably too late to do anything.

"They say the Morihoth ride with the traitors."

Captain Koyu steps out, followed shortly by Princess Zelda. The princess isn't in her usual royal pink-with-white dress. Now she wears a white dress clearly designed for strength and ease of movement. Link can just barely spot the top of a steel breastplate peeking up from the bottom of the modest v-cut neck. The tip of a steel quarterstaff pokes up from behind her shoulder.

Link kneels immediately and blurts out, "Milady, y . . . What are you doing here?"

"The warriors are returning to Dunlar. I am accompanying them for the Changing of the Houses."

"B . . . but . . . my lady! I must protest! It is too dangerous. I will gladly go in your stead—"

Simultaneously, Raidon partly draws his Moon Dagger and Zelda snaps, "_Nobody_ will go in my place. I should have been in Dunlar already, this is just a belated trip." She glances pointedly at the Dunlarians. _...with armed guards_. "I'm taking this opportunity to help restore the stability of Dunlar. I know it's dangerous, but there's safety in numbers and Morihoth can obviously strike anywhere in Hyrule. Hitting them in Dunlar will throw them off-balance."

Link tries to think of another argument to make, but even with good reason it's dangerous to dispute royalty. _The entire idea is suicidal_. Link sighs. "I can't talk you out of this, can I, milady?"

Zelda graces him with a light smile. "No more than my father could."

…

* * *

… 

Horses struggle to keep up a gallop in the sand several inches deep, entering the Gerudo Desert. Dimitri, with the wide pads on the bottoms of his feet, easily negotiates the hostile desert environment. Link sits on the rear saddle, scrutinizing the recurve bow he found all the way back in the Royal Valley Palace.

Raidon, normally a relatively active rider, has been completely silent, meditating through the entire trip so far. Well, with the exception of rather frequent side-trips where he takes Dimitri sprinting off to 'provide flank security' for little actual reason Link can see other than just going fast and separating from the group.

The Hylian knight glances at the warrior prince briefly, pondering the reasons why the Dunlarian has been acting so strange lately. Link is just about to go back to his bow when Raidon releases a frustrated growl and delivers a strong kick to Dimitri's sides. "Captain Koyu, I will be scouting ahead!"

The captain is obviously in disagreement with the prince's decision, but Raidon hasn't waited for permission, so all he can do is shout, "Make sure you stay out of sight!"

Dimitri starts to slow slightly and Raidon kicks him again to get the pace back up. The dodongo glances up. "Master, will you please tell me what's wrong?"

The warrior prince ignores the question and continues staring straight ahead, as if there was something of vital importance in the dead sands of the Gerudo waste. "Faster! Go!"

Dimitri responds, interrupted slightly by his own heavy breathing, "Master, I believe that in order to . . . clear your mind through exercise . . . _you_ have to . . . be the one sprinting."

The Dunlarian gives no answer, so the Hylian knight pounds a fist on his shoulder to get his attention so the knight can ask, "What is it?"

Again, he doesn't answer.

"Raidon, do something rational! Get your head out of y . . . back into the present!"

The teen warrior holds a white-knuckled fist out, narrowly reeling in his instinctive desire to punch the knight. His self-control has never been so narrow. "I can't focus!"

"Obviously!"

The prince slowly puts his other hand on the leather reigns. On dodongos, a reign is little more than a single leather strap to help guide the great creature, but the Dunlarian holds it so tightly the worn leather bites into his palms. Finally, he speaks. "Her."

If he didn't have such good elven hearing, the knight is sure he wouldn't have just heard the prince. "What?"

Raidon turns to look the Hylian straight in the eye, the first time he made eye contact with anyone since . . . the incident in the Meditation Gardens. Link can see the warring forces behind those eyes, something tearing him apart inside. "I can't stop it. Ever since I saw her, she's been haunting every moment. I can't think about anything but her."

The knight thinks for a few moments, then sets his hand to get the prince's attention – he was starting to drift off already. "You have one mission, here. Keep your mind on that."

The teen Dunlarian turns mostly around and begins to stare off into space. Dimitri is breathing pretty hard now, and Raidon is starting to develop that hyper-focused look as he stares off into space.

Link sets his jaw. _I've got to do something drastic_.

Raidon continues to stare . . . until a fist contacts the back of his head. The instantaneous result is a miniature war that looks to the outside like a cloud of sand. The two combatants hit the ground with fists swinging in an all-out brawl.

Dimitri pulls a hard turn and rushes back to the fight. "Master!"

Raidon is about to snarl something at the interrupting dodongo when Link drives his elbow into the Dunlarian's diaphragm. The prince brings his mithril bracer down on Link's head. The knight drops to his knees, cross-eyed, and Raidon stumbles to the ground, both panting heavily.

The two lie there on their backs for a few moments, the prince catches his breath first and leverages himself to his knees. Dimitri prepares to slam himself in between the two, but the raging hostility is strangely gone. Instead of striking, Raidon laughs and helps Link to his feet. "Thanks, I needed that."

Dimitri steps back, and something in the sand shifts, thrusting up a long, thin, black object. He awkwardly side-steps off it and the two elves investigate. Link grasps the object and knows what it is before he finishes pulling the shaft from the sand-covered object. "A moblin spear."

Raidon lifts the shoulder of the mostly buried body and lets go with a brief snarl. "No loss, it was a Gerudo."

Link drops the spear to the ground. As much as he may dislike moblins, this . . . "Why is it that you hate the Gerudo so much?"

The prince presses his lips into a thin line, crosses his arms, then turns half around.

A few seconds tick by, and Dimitri breaks the silence by stating, "Master, you've fought together enough to be Brothers by Blood. You might as well tell him."

The Dunlarian lets out a sigh, his entire being sagging a little. "We've been at war with the Gerudo for years. Lost a lot of good people, either directly to the Gerudo or starvation. One day, Jenhan and I went out on a raid to break the defenses of a fort near Malith's Rock. Our magi were late, and the cavalry were lost by Gerudo sandmancers. It was a slaughter, we _had_ to retreat. Jenhan and his squad was covering the rear. Then _they_ broke through and . . ."

His voice cracks and the young prince shudders. "They kept on stabbing and stabbing . . ."

Missing something of the story, the Hylian looks to Dimitri, who explains, "Jenhan raised my master since he was a baby, he was more a father than the Emperor. He taught Raidon how to fight, to use the sword. He got the prince out of a lot of stupid drills and started his 'tours' to a lot of the peoples of Dunlar. He was also one of my master's only friends."

Raidon gets up and starts pacing to the crest of a nearby sand dune, and Link looks back to Dimitri. _I sense there's got to be more to it than that_.

The dodongo sighs at the knight. "Princes don't have many opportunities to make friends." He turns a mournful gaze to Raidon. "It's wrong. It's not healthy for an elf to be alone like that. It's probably why he lets me get away with so much, even treats me like an equal. I'm one of the only friends he has. At the level my master was born into, Dunlar isn't socially open."

Before Link can make a pitying remark, Raidon shouts, "Link! Get over here and look at this!"

The knight runs up the sand dune, noting that the prince is lying down to reduce his profile, so Link slinks close and drops next to him. His eyes burst open when he sees what the prince called him for: meandering through the desert are hundreds upon hundreds of moblins. "Oh, man. There is no way we can get through that."

The two back down from the crest and Raidon pauses, feeling a tugging pulse from something around his neck. His hand goes to his Moon pendant, and he looks up at the Hylian. "I've got an idea."


	23. Dark Side of the Desert

The Legend of Zelda: The Warrior Prince

…

…

**Chapter 22: Dark Side of the Desert**

…

Steel twirls through the air, coming in on a left arc before its skilled wielder suddenly switches direction. The moblin tries to block with the wooden shaft of its spear, but Koyu's great sword smashes through it and all the way through the dark creature's cheap leather body armor.

A bellowed war cry makes even the hardened moblins shake, and a steel scimitar cleaves through two of the dark world's beasts. Raidon ducks beneath a battle axe and replies with an upward swing, downing another moblin. Rather suddenly, there is a parting in the mass of leathery-skinned, pig-like creatures. They back up and Raidon is just about to give a triumphant yell when Link cries, "Oh, holy g—"

A hail of black arrows interrupts him. All of the Dunlarians able snap the rounded cube of a mana shell around themselves, two brandish tower shields. Only Koyu, Link, and Zelda remain exposed, a fact which Raidon notices. "Zelda!"

Too late, the dart arrows sail down, but what he sees next takes his breath away.

Zelda pivots around on the ball of her foot, twirling her quarterstaff through the air. All around her, arrows fall harmlessly to the ground, not one so much as touching her. She dexterously ducks and swings back up, her quarterstaff a translucent blur about her, arrows seemingly dropping like rain ahead of her.

The cloud ends and all the world seems to stop in wonder. Raidon feels that light sensation like he's about to float off his feet. _She's as graceful as she is beautiful_ . . .

"Stop swooning and open that portal!" Link deflects one Moblin spear, flicks his sword back to deflect another, and then snaps his blade forward to take advantage of an opening of a third moblin on his front.

Raidon swings through another moblin and turns. A formation of wind-worn, stratified red stone rises up in the rocky sands nearby. The portal is so near, the pendant is glowing and pulsating, but he can't see it. Moblins come at the prince from both sides and he takes a wide, powerful swing, downing one and knocking back two before realizing that they're never going to fight through the beasts to wherever it is. Lowering his sword arm, he clasps his other hand over the Moon Pendant.

Blue-white light blazes from within a nook in the red sandstone and a brief shockwave of sand bursts as the portal shows itself. Strangely, the moblins back away from the portal, and the group quickly falls into the open zone, blades raised. A strange sound starts emanating from the moblins, something like 'ra ra ra', yet they keep their distance. Raidon grips his scimitar with both hands and asks, "Is that . . . laughing?"

Link holds his position, unwavering despite the chill racing down his spine. The sound of moblins laughing isn't one you soon forget, and it never means something good. "Yes." The silent question of why they are laughing hangs heavy in the air.

Captain Koyu is the one who finally makes a command decision. "Everyone, through the portal!" He sheathes his blades and turns around, dashing at the blue swirl.

Link sheathes the Master Sword and follows close on the captain's heels. "Brace yourselves for the other side, the Golden Power will cause your bodies to change once you reach the Dark World!"

…

* * *

…

—_EEEEHHWWW_.

Raidon's body transforms into one more like a wolf with a brief puff. His leaf swords and scimitar now useless, only his Moon Dagger contains the magic of the ancients that allows him to use it even in this strange form.

Captain Koyu has transformed into a bear-man with extremely long claws on his paws, the two Royal Guard into creatures comically like walking trees, one of the leather-armored into something like an armadillo with long arms, and the other into something closely resembling a hedgehog, complete with long quills.

The Hylian knight lets escape a curious, "Zelda?" and the prince turns around to see what has the relatively unshakable veteran surprised.

Zelda is standing right there next to a rabbit-Link, her white dress blowing slightly in the breeze. Surrounding her is a golden, translucent bubble. She hasn't been transformed by the Golden Power, instead that light aura is acting as a shield. She glances at the group, then around her. "Wasn't this a desert?"

Raidon steps back and his foot squishes in something. He looks down and notices that he's standing in the mud of a bog.

Link spreads his short, rabbit-man arms and states dryly, "Welcome to Misery Mire."

…

* * *

…

Agahnim turns the tome's page and continues writing in his notes when his teleport detector flashes. The detector looks like a coiled snake body, with a three-fingered claw rising up instead of a head, the briefly flaring amber stone set in the closed fingers. The old sorcerer sighs and sets his quill pen down. "Girl, you are going to be the death of me."

Footsteps precede the entrance of a young, brown-haired Morihoth with bright, orange eyes, his black cloth hood/mask down around his neck. "My lord, the brotherhood is repositioned and ready to make their move against Fort Dranui."

Agahnim scoffs quietly to himself. "Even despite my daughter's interference?"

The messenger stands there with a perplexed expression for a few moments before he states, "My lord, your daughter answered a summons to the Imperial Palace this morning, she is not expected back for a few days."

Agahnim now makes eye contact with the messenger. He sets a bookmark in the tome and carefully closes it before standing. "Instruct the Brotherhood to hold positions. I need to summon a few eyeball bats."

…

* * *

…

Leathery wings flap frantically through the air. A Peregrine Falcon's cry pierces the air and the bat speeds up. A shadow overtakes it and the birds talons tear through the air as it swoops down.

"Excellent catch, my liege. The eyeball apparition never stood a chance."

High Prince Naku smirks, but the corner of his mouth drops and he holds out his gloved arm for his falcon as it returns and quickly begins tearing into the bat with its beak. "There have been more of those about this past month than the Magi Council can account for."

A door opens and a young woman walks out onto a path through the courtyard. Her close white dress accentuating her buxom curves and seemingly resisting the shadows of a fig tree by the door. She brushes a lock of honey-brown hair back over her pointed ear.

The Prince's demeanor instantly brightens. "Ah, Sarah! My dear, I am so glad to be in your lovely presence again."

Sarah sighs and rolls her eyes in an unimpressed manner. "What is it, Naku?"

He reaches one arm around her shoulders and she speeds up to keep out of his reach. "I heard you had our marriage postponed again. First you fell ill, then you broke your leg . . . We were supposed to be wed seven weeks ago. What is it now?"

Sarah sighs and sidesteps from an attempted pat on the shoulder. _Quick, think of an excuse_. Her eyes dart about for a moment, then she looks ahead. "Dunlar just lost Brent Spire City, and the Rastans are rising in revolt. I hardly think such events deserve the commemoration of an Imperial Marriage."

Naku cringes. _She's right, unfortunately_. "My brother is on the way, once he arrives, he will strike at the heart of the insurrection in Rastan and the Tebron Hills."

Sarah seems to cheer up a little at that. She even allows Naku to get within arm's reach of her. "Good. We wouldn't want to take the reigns of a nation in civil war." She slowly rolls her head on her shoulders, stretching out a tense muscle in her neck. "So, where is the Warrior Prince now?"


	24. Deep and Ancient Evil

The Legend of Zelda: The Warrior Prince

…

…

**Chapter 23: Deep and Ancient Evil**

…

The buzzing reaches a roar and Raidon trips into a mud hole just as he tries to shoot a fireball into the biting fly swarm to ward them off. As he tries to push himself up out of the muck, he cries, "What do they eat . . . when they can't find elf?"

"Technically, your body is more of a wolf right now," Link snaps as he tries to pull his leg from a soupy puddle.

Raidon refuses Koyu's vain offer of help out of the mud pit and continues trudging ahead. Dimitri tenderly steps forward, a bubble popping as his wide foot sinks into the peat. "It feels like we've been marching for miles. How much farther?"

Link stamps his foot into the ground, immediately regretting it when the mud greedily grabs hold. "I don't know! Last time I was here, I was south looking for the reflection of the Desert Temple, not trying to get lost going west."

The hedgehog-Dunlarian bitterly states in a "quiet yell" over the buzzing din, "I'm starting to think that it would have been faster to cut our way through the desert."

Raidon doesn't even turn around to snap back, "If you want to take on the Desert of White Bones, go ahead. I want to actually _reach_ the empire."

Dimitri, who had been near the head, stops and carefully scans the environment around him as the clustered group sloshes forward. "I do believe the ground is sinking."

"It's a stinking bog, Dimitri! Of course everything's—"

The peat under them explodes, a narrow sinkhole opening up beneath them. The entire group slides down, the torrent of sludge dragging them down into whatever space beneath collapsed. Normally, even despite the swamp morass, it would have only taken a few minutes to recover, but with almost everyone transformed into a still strange form, it takes much longer until the troop frees themselves.

"What the heck?" Everybody's gaze follows the armadillo-Dunlarian as he looks through the hole of an opening of a hallway made of green stone stretching off into the west. He crawls through and the others start to follow.

The hedgehog-Dunlarian tries to shake some of the mud weighing down his quilled body and he looks around. "At least the bugs are gone."

The bear-form of Koyu steps from mud to hall and sends off the armadillo-Dunlarian as Zelda ducks through the hole into the space. Raidon is about to enter when he stops and looks back at his loyal dodongo.

Before either can speak, the scout returns breathless. "Sirs, the hallway shoots straight west for over fifty yards to a small room with strange . . . animated armor."

Raidon isn't paying attention to the inside of the hall, his friend is still stuck outside. "But, Dimitri . . ."

The dodongo tries to give a smile. "Master, you know I am too big to follow that way." He looks up and sets one foot out to climb up. "You still have your flute, just summon me. I remember the song." With that, Dimitri clambers out of the sinkhole and Raidon watches until his bulk disappears into the swamp, continuing west overland.

Link curses as he fumbles at his sword hilt with hands lacking opposable thumbs. "C'mon, Raidon, I can't grip my sword." The resident expert of the Dark World takes the lead, followed closely by the wolf-Dunlarian, Moon Dagger in hand.

The long hallway slopes down slightly and, as Link glances at the walls, he notices that the light isn't coming from torches as he is used to, it's coming from green glowing rocks set into iron sockets jutting from higher up on the walls, and the further down the hall he hops . . . "Stop. Do you hear that?"

Everybody stops and strains, but more eerie than the silence they thought they were walking through is the faint percussion music emanating from ahead, drums from some source deep below.

Navi, having been resting quietly in Link's lamp for a long time, now stirs anxiously in the small space. "Link? I'm sensing a terrible darkness from down there."

Link swallows and tries not to let his nervousness show through as he answers, "I know, Navi, but it's not like we have much choice. We were barely moving topside, and at least this is in the right direction."

Navi floats tensely back and forth. "Except not 'up'. I don't like it, Link. This is a catacomb of evil, and none of you are in a form to wield holy weapons."

Zelda clears her throat and tightens her grip on her steel quarterstaff.

Navi almost smacks into one of the enchanted glass panes. "Oh! Sorry, Princess Zelda, except you. But you only have a steel quarterstaff, and while sir Link and prince Raidon have sacred swords, you aren't trained in swordplay."

Zelda lets her gaze drop, a little humbled by the fairy's accurate observation. "I know, we'll just have to be careful until we can get out."

The doorway, which looked so close until they started marching to it, at long last looms close. Navi looks back at the lady Hylian. "Princess, are you clairvoyant?"

Zelda, who had been turning to glance behind her, looks back at Navi to answer. "Somewhat, why?"

"You don't seem to be affected by the channels of evil energy this den's master is funneling through us, it's distorting our sense of space and direction. We may need your help to get out."

"Well, I haven't seen any—"

A long, low groan rumbles through the hall from back near the collapsed sinkhole where they entered. All of them look back, but only Zelda and Navi see the spirit-beast rising up through the stone ground, its square head nearly filling the wide hallway, fangs filling its massive jaws, beady red eyes glinting in the green glowstone light.

Zelda shrieks and breaks out into a dead run, almost bowling over the armadillo-Dunlarian. The others exchange confused glances until Navi centers herself in Link's lamp, shining a cone of divine light to reveal the reptiloid beast rapidly closing on them, and each of them drain the same chalk-white that Zelda did before sprinting at the door. . .

Though it seemed only a few steps away a moment ago, now it looks a hundred feet distant, and where once the hall was wide now they can barely find enough room to turn and run. Everybody doubles their pace, fear overcoming them as they hear the yawn of the spirit-beast opening its massive jaws, like the groaning of ancient wood. Raidon cringes, awaiting the grisly fate of being ripped apart by fangs bigger than his forearm when suddenly a bright blue flash fills the space.

Suddenly, the hallway returns to normal, the door within arm's reach, the beast knocked back by the force of the divine burst. Everybody piles through the door, several almost knocking Zelda over.

Unfortunately, before they can holler in victory, the animated suits of armor the scout spotted are upon them, swinging massive iron-studded clubs. Three Dunlarians fly into the distant walls – _Distant? What the hell is up with space in this place?_ – Raidon brings up his Moon Dagger and is barely able to manage to deflect the club headed at him, the blow still sending him reeling back.

Link pokes at the Fairy Lamp at his waist, noting worriedly that Navi is lying limply on the bottom and her usual bright blue aura has dimmed to a deep azure. "Navi!"

"So . . . tired. Can't . . . rest."

Zelda slips around the wide swing of the first animated armor with the grace of a dance, slamming her steel quarterstaff against its breastplate. The blow reverberates down the staff, back into her arm without so much as making the floating armor pause. It lifts its iron-cased club again, but before it can swing, Zelda thrusts out her free hand, unsure of exactly what power inside is awakening. A slightly deformed ball of ice strikes its shoulder, temporarily freezing it in place.

All of the Dunlarians stare in awe, until their armor enemy lifts its club. Raidon ducks aside and the armadillo-Dunlarian starts blasting ice magic into the armor. While the enemy is slowed, the sound of cracking indicates that their foes are powering through the ice and it will only be moments until they are freed.

Zelda looks at the door ahead, a stairwell going down. She can practically see tendrils of shadow flickering up like whisps of an evil fog from the unfathomable depths. To the right is a narrow door, and while it leads to yet another green-lit hallway, there isn't the creeping shadow yawning from it. "This way!"

The hallway itself is only slightly less narrow than the door, enough that the tree-Dunlarians are having difficulty walking. The hallway stops and turns to the left, the group immediately follows it.

Link is the only one to think ahead at the possibilities of the deep evil of this space-violating catacomb. _Damn, if only I could use my bow, I'd just thunk an arrow into the wall, but only_ . . . "Raidon! Here, I need you to score the stone here!" Link points and Raidon turns around, clearly aggravated at having their escape delayed. "Do it!"

The wolf-Dunlarian jumps in surprise at Link's shouted voice of command, and he brutes a slash with his Moon Dagger, barely managing to put a scratch into the green stone. As soon as he does, a groan emanates from the floor, the sound much like the spirit-beast from the previous hallway, and the panicked group rushes onward into the maze.

Link tries to keep track of where they are going, but either due to the space-violating magic of the catacombs, dark energies of its master, or just the frenzied pace of their attempted escape, he can't keep heads or tails of where they've been or where they're going. Even Zelda quickly is overwhelmed with the number of twists and turns, and despite the threat of the spirit-beast she slows down when she notices a left-hand turn.

A scratch marks one of the green stones, shallow but the recent.

"Oh, no . . ." A skittering behind her alerts the Hylian princess to a presence just before the armadillo-Dunlarian fails to stop, crashing into her and knocking her into one of the tree-men-Dunlarians. "Wait, weren't you in front of . . ."

Before she can finish, she sees the other tree-Dunlarian scrambling towards them, terror filling his deformed features. With a lazy motion like a yawn, the reptiloid beast passing through the walls and floor at will opens its mouth, the sound like moaning oak timbers, its beady eyes gleaming with malice.

The rest of the troop can only watch in stark, helpless horror as it moves forward with an ever-so-slight side-to-side swimming motion, finally crushing its powerful jaws closed. What follows makes everyone gasp, as the teeth violently smash through the transformed Dunlarian's body, shards of wood explode. An agonizing scream rips through the hall and the beast dives down, the scream suddenly silencing as soon as the tree-man phases through the floor.

Raidon stands stone still for a moment before his tongue finally loosens. One hand grips his Moon Dagger so tightly if his hand were skin instead of covered in coal-gray fur it would be white-knuckled. Slowly he lifts his free hand, making the sign of a triangle as he mutters, "By the Golden Power . . . if there is a God up there, if You have any mercy—"

He doesn't have a chance to finish that sentence, as the hedgehog-Dunlarian backs into him. Quills pierce matted fur and wolf-Raidon howls in pain, surging forward and throwing his Moon Dagger into the air.

It passes straight through the wall and clatters against stone somewhere beyond.

A comic moment passes as everybody freezes, glances at each other, then leaps at the wall in the general area where the dagger passed through. Two smack into solid wall, while the wolf-prince and the hedgehog-Dunlarian run into each other and the edges of the invisible doorway, earning a growl of pain from Raidon.

The hedgehog-Dunlarian backs up, quivering in fear both at the catacombs around him and the Warrior Prince's wrath. Fortunately, Link slips through the fake wall and the others shake their heads and follow him. Stairs progress steeply up, but it seems God's mercy is steady because instead of going on forever like the first hallway, it opens up into a relatively clear, wide room.

Like the rest of the dark catacomb, it is made of the same green stone and lit by green glowstones. Two rows of square pillars inscribed with runes line a path to an open doorway, outside lying a pouring thunderstorm. The surviving troop laughs in elation and dashes to their escape.


	25. Return to the Forest

The Legend of Zelda: The Warrior Prince

…

…

**Chapter 24: Return to the Forest**

…

Agahnim's nimble fingers dart and twirl through the air, cutting sharp circles and wide figure eights, dancing like the legs of a spider fleeing the boot's wrath. His eyes are closed, viewing instead a space far away. Slowly he gasps, "They escaped Kwanis Maelstrom? How . . ."

Aganhim's stunted exhalation transforms into a laugh. "I knew it! They will be the ones to defeat Ganon . . ." his voice fades to a hushed whisper, "And set me free."

…

* * *

… 

A thin, dark-haired Dunlarian in a starkly cut, brown tunic scrambles around a corner, his arms overflowing with scrolls, Hylian banners, and various rolled documents. He spots a person in his way just slightly too late and skitters to a stop, papers spilling everywhere. "General Issir, I'm so sorry, sir!"

The darkly-tanned Sandman glares irritatedly but bends his knees to help pick up the papers that the court learner is spilling. "Scribe, what are you doing with all this garbage?"

The poor man shifts his arm to try to salute, spilling yet more papers. "Sir, I'm trying to finish compiling a detailed cultural report on the Hylians for Prince Raidon, he's missing—"

"You _have_ noticed that there is a war going on, correct?" Issir states dully.

The scribe struggles to keep balanced, Issir just piled the papers back on and he started unsteady as it is. "Um . . . yes, sir, but what can I do to stop it? Even when lord Naku went out to speak to the public, _he_ couldn't do anything. There was almost a riot in the capital from that—"

Issir waves his hand irritatedly, acting as if any insult against the High Prince caused him pain. "Yes, yes, I know. The Crown has been trying to repair the situation ever since that incident." Naku has indeed been struggling tirelessly for days, trying to figure out how to patch back together the mess that has blanketed Dunlar.

A new voice quips, "Yes, I'm sure he has, he wouldn't want his _political_ power threatened." The woman walking down the hall spits out 'political' as if it is a poison.

Issir steps away from the girl and swings around to face her. "Lady Sarah. _You_ should be endeavoring to help your husband."

"He is _not_ my husband yet." Sarah snaps, crossing her arms and turning up her nose.

Issir takes one long step towards her and Sarah steps back, but his hand whips out and seizes her wrist. He jerks her hand in the air, letting the sleeve fall to reveal a filled inhibitor bracer. "Been causing any accidents, _my lady_?"

She responds with a glare and continued resistance, trying to wrench herself from his unflinching grip, though she might as well be trying to pull a mountain. "I don't like your tone, _general_. Release me this inst—"

Just as she passes over her point of balance, his hand snaps open and she falls over backwards. Issir smirks. "The crown prince may be smitten with you, but your bewitching holds no sway over me."

Sarah glares venom and, despite himself, Issir retreats one small step. He recovers his defensive maliciousness and states in a cold, measured tone, "You had best watch yourself. Not everyone is fooled by you. Everyone has their weakness."

The young elf woman glares daggers back at the general, and a bitter smile takes hold of her face. "Oh, I know. This truth I know quite well."

…

* * *

… 

A thunderclap rolls and the troop marches out of the sinister labyrinth. From the outside, the entrance appears to be no more than a short, square building of green-gray stone, with an entrance like a yawning maw, waiting to swallow up any hapless traveler. A semicircle of torches extends into the swamp, a peaceful pool at the center.

Curious, Link cautiously approaches. His fear and anxiety rapidly fade as he gazes into the clear waters, into the bowl-shaped sizes of the waterhole. Numbness, everything is all right, yet a nagging feeling from the back of his mind distantly shouts that something is off.

Link stands there at the water's edge, a strange yearning starting to creep into his numb mind, tantalizing the reaches of his consciousness. _Into the building? Yes, of course, it could . . _.

Quills poke into him and the Hylian transformed into a rabbit jumps ten feet into the air with a brief shout of pain.

"Sorry, I can't help it." The hedgehog-Dunlarian backs away and gives a courtesy glance at the pool before looking back at the semicircle of torches he was staring at. "So, what was so interesting . . ." Hiz gaze glazes over and he mutters, "Torches?"

Link opens his mouth, but his mind is clear now and he realizes he wasn't even looking into the water. Still, there was a dark glint, something inside that now calls to his curiosity, so the irritated rabbit-man looks into the pool, down the plain sides to spot a male elf wearing intricate, stunningly beautiful plate-mail armor. The gauntlets almost look like a second skin, fitting so neatly over the top of the hand, but he can just see that it leaves the palm-side of the fingertips open.

A bracelet of some bright, nearly luminescent turquoise closely hugs each wrist, the metal bands almost looking delicate, yet even Link can sense immense power emanating from them. Bracers flow up the arm to a guarded elbow joint, and then another close yet almost liquidly flowing over toned muscles. The pauldrons adorning the shoulders are broad, curving out from the body plating almost seamlessly and sweeping out, bringing to mind an eagle spreading its wings.

The chest plate of the beautiful plate-mail, if something so intricate could be called that, wraps close around the chest. Like the guards on the arms, it's almost as if someone poured molten metal over the man's toned body, except for the front, which is shaped partially by a familiar crest: an eagle bursting out, wings spread and talons open, its eyes bright and piercing. From behind shine rays of light, and below, between the spread talons, lie three equilateral triangles, not quite touching but together in the shape of a larger triangle, another equilateral triangle below which gives the symbol a feel like a spearhead.

Suddenly, the man's eyes open. Perfect white spheres stare out at him, and the shocked knight stumbles backwards with a yelp. "We have to get out of here!"

He glances at the others as he scrambles to his long feet, all of them are wandering with a dazed expression, except Zelda who's looking at the rest of them with a dumbfounded expression on her face. The rest of the troop, surprised by the knight's shout, begin to gather around and stare into the pool.

The young Hylian starts pushing, something shouting in his mind saying get out_ now_. "No! Just go!" Stubbornly he pushes them all the way out of the ring of torches, and the wolf-man turns to snap at him.

"What is wrong with you, you psychotic Hylian?" Raidon puts away his dagger and stares, waiting for an explanation. Something else takes his attention and another takes Link's.

The surviving tree-Dunlarian looks back at the clearing they came from, muttering, "I thought I saw an elf down there."

A weak voice rasps out from the Fairy Lamp at Link's waist. "It was a warning, because the lair's entrapment extends beyond its stone container." Navi's voice halts, as if she had more to say but couldn't even find the energy to finish her words.

Raidon reaches a hand to his moon pendant, feeling a tug pulling him farther into the 'forest' they've walked into. He walks off and Link looks around, only now paying attention to the Dark World forest around them. Unlike Skull Woods back in Hyrule, this place seems vibrant and alive, bright colors and sharp changes of pattern showing the life like the bright green of a Light World forest. Still, similarities to Skull Wood remains, like the mix of crustacean, anemone, and choral 'trees'.

The path rounds a bend and a shelf of copper-red rock juts out to form a small clearing, at the tip of the rock flares a bright blue light as the portal blazes into its active state. The prince turns around and smiles proudly. "Well, that's taken care of. Soon we can all go back through to the safety of the Light Sphere."

The prince reaches down to his belt, but his wolf-hands can't grip the bag to draw his flute box. His eyes shoot open and he gasps when he realizes that it isn't working. "No!" He frantically paws at it for a minute before Link takes his shoulders and is about to shout at him when the prince powerfully knocks him away.

"No! Dimitri!" His cry echoes into the vibrant yet strange forest around him, the tenor of fear seeming to grow with the cry's each reflection. "Dimitri!" Nothing but the soft rustle of the anemone trees waving in the non-existent wind. "Dimitriiiii!"

…

"_Here, Warrior Prince. This is the dodongo who will be your steed. The pride of Dunlan military, the Royal Cavalry."_

_Eagerly, the little boy bounces into the room, filled overflowing with youthful energy and curiosity. His enthusiasm is quickly curbed when he doesn't see one of the great, four-legged reptilian creatures. Instead, it's just a dodongo larva, its face familiar but for its puny jaws and its stub-limbed body more resembling the stubby end of a snake than the mighty bulk of an adult. "Hey, it's just a worm."_

"_A worm?! How dare you, elf!" The dodongo larva bunches, then thrusts himself at the boy prince._

_Raidon remembers the many long lectures they gave him. _You can't yield an inch to them, make sure they know who is Master now, before they weigh three tons and can crush you by rolling over_. The brave seven-year-old throws himself against the larva, grasping the proto-horn-like projections and twisting, using leverage to throw the dodongo larva around, slamming the young reptile into the ground and winding him._

_When the prince gets up, the dodongo remains almost motionless but for a quivering of uncertainty. "Well? What are you waiting for, Dimitri?"_

…

_A thundering shakes the earth and the wind whips past as Raidon races over the savannahs of south Rastan. His short ponytail shakes in rhythm with the pace of the young adult dodongo bearing him over the dry grasslands. The wind whipping past, the beautiful silence, the peace, a feeling even if just for the moment of being totally free; a smile takes hold of the prince's face._

"_Faster, Dimitri! Faster!"_

…

_Hesitantly, the dodongo steps closer to the practice yard. With his scarred right side, eye scabbed closed, he was unable to accompany his prince on the raiding mission the previous day, and on returning he's been in this private practice court since. Dimitri can clearly hear one voice bellowing wordlessly above the whistling winds of the rising sandstorm, a hoarse battle cry borne of deep rage. Dimitri hesitates, then pushes open the gate._

_Raidon is standing there next to the magical practice dummy, an object built of packed Dali reeds and a resin to make it harder than a normal opponent, an enchantment restoring every hack and slice to damage it._

_Even with that power, Raidon and the heavy, training iron scimitar in his hands have scored deep gashes and he swings again and again, mercilessly beating down on the hapless dummy._

"_Master?"_

_The Warrior Prince finishes with a downward power-blow that splits the dummy from head to halfway through the torso. Suddenly, the weariness he has been holding back overcomes him and the prince slumps to his knees, letting the weighted sword clatter to the ground. Out of strength to pick up the scimitar, he staggers to the weapon rack and takes a broad sword with an extended handle. He returns to the dummy without sending one word to his waiting steed and promptly begins hacking away at the reed foe, pure fury moving his limbs._

"_Master . . ."_

_Raidon ignores him, brutally and rapidly hacking away at the dummy._

_The dodongo sighs and uses his tail to push the gate closed before the screeching sandstorm tries to gain entrance to this place where he knows the young teen has been trying to expend his grief._

_"Raidon!"_

_Either out of surprise or weariness he's unable to hold back, now the sword clatters out of his hands. He reaches out as if to pick it up, and Dimitri trots forward and steps on the blade to keep it down. _Ever since sir Jenhan's death, he's been consumed by his inability to cope with the grief. _"Master, it's okay to cry for the death of a loved one."_

_Raidon collapses against the strong bulk of his companion's frame, takes in a gulp of air, and does what no Dunlarian would ever allow another living soul to see. . ._

_He weeps_.

…

"Raidon." The prince is brought back into the present by a soft yet commanding voice. The first thing that greets him are sapphire blue eyes. Zelda.

The Dunlarian opens his mouth, closes it, then repeats a few times before his mind finally starts working. "But, Dimitri, he's . . ."

"Keeping his word. He's going to finish his mission, and so do we. We can come back to get him later, but right now we can't, so we have to keep moving ahead." Her beautiful eyes betray no hint of doubt, only oceans of certainty. "We'll come back for him."

Raidon swallows the lump forming in his throat, nods, and turns to the portal.


	26. Lendu's Gate

The Legend of Zelda: The Warrior Prince

…

…

**Chapter 25: Lendu's Gate**

…

—_EEEEWW_.

A puff of unnatural smoke surrounds Raidon's body, and he transforms from a wolf-man back into an elf, opposable thumbs back where they are supposed to be. Raidon reaches down to his flute, but he doesn't even have time to draw the instrument from its protective hard-leather sheath when he hears an unearthly music.

They've appeared in a grassy clearing in the middle of what inexplicably appears to be a forest, where the Desert of White Bones should be. The pine trees are narrow and less than three times the height of any of them, but there is a definite forest around them.

A soft tune emanates, light and abrupt. Strangely, the music has a truth in it, something so appropriate to the place that it feels so natural, as if the trees themselves could be whispering the notes.

Raidon looks about, but sees no source of the music until he spots Navi, centered in the Fairy Lamp and pulsating slightly in time with the music. Though he can't see it, he can feel something familiar about it. "What is that?"

Link jerks, suddenly ripped from a minor trance state. He lowers the ocarina that he didn't quite get to his lips and states, "This place is a teleport point, Navi is taking the energy and emitting the notes that will harness it."

The troop looks around and slowly breaks up to check out the sheltered valley. Zelda goes one way, but Raidon's attention is grasped by a question from the Hylian knight. "So, what is this place?"

Raidon takes a moment to glance around. No matter how many times he sees one, they never cease to amaze him. _Ironic that I never saw such a lush place until I went to live with the Sandmen of the Gorgon Wastes_. "That depends on who you ask. Lots of us Dunlarians call these 'islands' or 'nangsami'. They're small pockets sheltered against the desert winds." He ducks down to look at something near the ground, then gets back up and continues searching.

As the prince starts scrutinizing the surrounding ground, one of the Dunlarian soldiers ponders aloud, "If this is the Light Sphere, and there was a labyrinth in the Shadow Sphere, what's back there now?"

Captain Koyu looks up from curiously watching the prince. "Go check. My prince, do you know which island this is?"

Raidon looks up and crosses his arms in mild frustration as he continues looking around. "We used them while hunting sandworms, Gorgonites would leave a cairn marking a large rock or boulder. The boulder would have a map of nearby islands, with directions to head back to the Gorgon Wastes."

"Hey, Raidon!" Link's voice floats out from just behind a copse of trees. "We found a working Lendu Gate."

Raidon keeps himself from making a confused face as he briefly looks up in the direction of the knight's voice, then back down, looking for any rocks, for any sign of a Gorgon map. "What is a 'Lendu Gate'?"

Link trots out from behind the thick clump of trees he was standing behind and looks curiously at the searching prince. "It's a teleport gate that takes you to its twin in a distant area. What're you looking for?"

Raidon kneels down to look at the base of a red-brown rock protruding from the dirt. "There should be a boulder marked by a nearby cairn." He grunts in aggravation and stands up to resume looking.

The knight shrugs. He'd searched through most of the tiny valley when Zelda ran off after the gate. "Haven't seen any of those, just trees."

The prince kicks a branch. "Damn." He looks up at the Hylian, and realizes the dark blue glow of Navi is absent from his lamp. "Where's the fairy?"

Link leans casually against the trunk of a tree and looks up at the sky as he answers, "I left her in the Lost Forest to regenerate."

Raidon glances dubiously at the Hylian teen. "How did you get all the way there?"

Link crosses his arms in a slightly smug pose as he replies, "That's how I know the gate goes to the Lost Forest, I went through it. It was either that or let Zelda try it out."

Before the warrior prince can continue the conversation, one of the Dunlarians in studded leather armor jogs up, and he bows to them as Koyu joins them. "Sirs, there is a small temple back at the . . . where the entrance to that lair was."

Koyu absent-mindedly runs his hand along the steel vambrace on his left arm as he thinks out loud, "Hmm. I suppose that those are the choices of destination, but which should we investigate?"

Raidon steps on a small branch, a crack echoing through the valley as he sets off towards the knight. "The gate. I want to see this portal that Link was talking about." He pauses, despite being uncertain about his truthfulness, he hasn't been let down yet by the brave knight. "Maybe the Deku Tree can help me with the Shadow Sphere."

Various sounds of agreement echo from the gathering group and the soldier departs to get the last one as the rest make their way to the 'gate'. A few trees pass by, and remarkably quickly they come to Zelda, standing in what appears a nondescript point in the forested valley. The Dunlarian teen looks critically at Link. "Where is it?"

Link looks aghast, and it takes Raidon a moment to see that it's a mock gesture. "This is it."

Raidon shoots a dubious glance at the knight before marching closer. "This circle of little rocks?" Granted, they are arranged carefully into a circle, but whoever hewed them must have made mistakes, because each stone is just slightly off from the others. On second thought, there is a sort of symmetry to them.

Princess Zelda seems to have enough waiting, because she uncrosses her arms and with a flicker of large, evergreen trees, disappears. The prince stifles a gasp, but then the knight follows, stepping into the circle and vanishing in like manner.

The Dunlarian in graceful mithril plate-mail steps through next, and the prince blinks. He hadn't expected the Fountain Guard to be so close, or ready to step into a mysterious portal to who-knows-where so shortly after the last time doing so destroyed his comrade in a freakish off-world. The two soldiers in studded-leather follow, and Koyu reaches down to run his fingers along a long sword at his hip as he approaches.

Raidon takes a deep breath, then walks forward and is again surprised. When Zelda and the others stepped into the gate, the teleportation looked so sudden, but when the prince enters, he feels a gentle tug, and the Lost Forest fades in around him.

The troop is all there, plus one new face. She appears to be a girl with green hair, eyes, and tunic, though her clothes are edged in brown that could very easily help her blend into the forest. She bows politely to the warrior prince. "I am Saria, voice of the forest. The Deku Tree has been waiting for you."

Link and the Dunlarian teen make eye contact, and then exchange with the other members of the band of fighters. Link's blonde eyebrow arches as he asks, "He's been waiting for us?"

"Well, specifically the warrior prince from the west."

Raidon points at himself in surprise, to confirm that she's talking about the right person, despite the fact that he's the only prince there. After the Kokiri nods, his incredulity still hasn't diminished. "Why me?"

"You saved the Deku Tree by killing the dark counter." The tone of her response hints that she believes the prince to be playing stupid.

The Hylian knight shrugs and starts trotting forward, the prince picking up the march a half second later. Saria holds up a hand and the confused troop stops. "Some steps must be taken alone."

Raidon looks back to Link, expecting the resident expert to enlighten him with some secret bit of knowledge of the Kokiri, but the knight just shrugs and motions for him to follow what appears to be the little girl of the forest. After passing through a maze of trees, he enters the familiar gully and meadow.

A gust of wind swirls around the meadow, drawing his eyes up to the gargantuan tree. "WARRIOR FROM BEYOND THE BLEAK DESERT, YOU FOUGHT WELL TO SAVE KOKIRI FOREST."

The fairies swirl in its branches, and a metaphorical crushing weight slams down on the prince, physically bringing him to his knees. "D . . . Deku Tree . . . I lost—"

"NAOMI PERISHED DURING YOUR STRUGGLE, OF THIS I KNOW. NAVI RELAYED THE TALE TO ME WHEN YOU SPOKE IT TO THE HYLIANS."

Raidon gasps and surges to his feet, his hands going to a pouch on his belt. Guilt grips him, it was one of her last requests and he forgot! "Naomi wanted me to . . . bring her . . ." The prince slowly halts, his breath hitching in his throat and horror filling him when the pouch he carefully put Naomi no longer contains the tiny creature, wrapped in the silk handkerchief.

Instead, it is filled with a yellow powder that he could swear has its own luminescence. "I don't understand . . ."

Another breeze flows through and a groan sounds from the Deku Tree as it shifts its branches. "WHEN A FAIRY DIES, SHE TURNS INTO FAIRY DUST. I THINK NAOMI JUST WANTED TO RETURN TO THE FOREST."

Raidon starts untying the pouch, but the Deku Tree puts a stop to that with a quick statement from its booming, powerful voice, "NO, WARRIOR. THERE IS NO USE THAT I HAVE FOR NAOMI'S FAIRY DUST, BUT SHE MAY YET SERVE YOU."

Hesitantly, the Dunlarian nods and acquiesces, retying the cords. A green light descends around him, and he feels his eyelids grow heavy. They close, but he opens his eyes to see a wispy green 'mist' swirls around him, through him. After a few seconds, it takes some distance and starts to coalesce into a green sphere like the fairies. A bright voice like a girl pipes, "Wow, your mana is powerful!"

The Deku Tree smiles. "AH, I SEE RUTH IS EAGER TO GREET YOU. NOBLE WARRIOR, THIS IS YOUR NEW PARTNER—"

"NO!" The entire forest seems to stop at the prince's bellow, and he takes a sharp breath in subconsciously to continue, "I am _not_ giving up on Dimitri!"

There is a long silence, and the green glow obliviously asks in her usual peppy tone, "Are you all right?"

Raidon drops respectfully to one knee. "Deku Tree, please forgive me. I was in the Shadow Sphere with my dodongo steed Dimitri, but we had to split up, and I couldn't call him. My body changes in the Shadow Sphere and I can't use my equipment." He reaches to the damnable moon pendant, and Ruth swirls around it, her sphere partially breaking into the wispy light. She takes shoulder-height to the prince and returns to the form of a green bauble.

"YOUR MOON PENDANT IS INCOMPLETE. YOU REQUIRE THE KAREN JEWEL TO PRESERVE YOUR FORM IN THE DARK WORLD."

Raidon drops his gaze, his eyes darting back and forth. _That would solve everything_. More than just a little overexcited, the prince blurts, "Well, where is it?"

The Deku Tree closes its eyes and its branches softly rustle. "THAT I CANNOT TELL YOU. THE BEAST WHICH DRAINED ME IS TRULY DEAD, BUT IT WILL BE MANY YEARS OF HEALING UNTIL I AM RESTORED. I CAN EXERT MY MAGIC IN THIS WORLD, AND LOOK INTO THE DARK REFLECTION WHERE LIFE HERE IS STRONG. THOSE WHOM YOU CALL MORIHOTH WEAR SUCH GEMS, BUT I SENSE NONE OF THEM IN THIS DOMAIN." The Deku Tree half-closes his eyes and stares at some point high above. "YOU MUST GO BACK."

The Deku Tree's eyes close, and though it doesn't have lungs for snoring, the young warrior has the feeling that it has fallen asleep. With only that one lead, the Dunlarian turns around and walks back out of the gully. Saria is waiting for him, and begins leading him back towards the meadow. "You seem quite attached to this dodongo."

Raidon looks away and huffs in an uneasy manner. "I am a Warrior Prince. It is not the Dunlarian way to leave a comrade behind."

Ruth's glow changes and Saria recognizes the sprite's equivalent expression of a knowing smirk. Saria herself can't stop the smile that tugs at the corners of her mouth. "I see. Much like the Hylians."

The prince looks at the leaf-ridden forest floor and lets out a dejected sigh. Saria gives him a reassuring smile. "Don't worry. It's easy to underestimate the power of an elf's resolve."

Raidon's eyes have drifted up, but they aren't focused on anything in front of him. His mouth drifts open and he mutters softly, "One at a time . . ."

"What?" Saria's green eyebrow quirks, wondering what he was saying.

The Dunlarian glances aside at the Kokiri girl, the eternally young voice of the forest. His eyes are devoid of the bright, almost fearsome light that burned behind the eyes of every other elf she met. "I wonder if I'm cursed."

Ruth butts in, guessing what he's really talking about but trying to lighten the mood. "Nope. I would'a sensed it if you were."

The teen only looks more despondent and Saria tries a different tact. "Why would you say you are cursed?"

Raidon lets out a breath and states in a cold, steady tone, "Never mind. It's nothing." His dejected look betrays that it obviously isn't nothing.

"You can't go yet."

The prince stops and states in the same cold tone, "Why not?"

"Navi hasn't finished regenerating. She'll be a . . ." The little mana sprite is cut off by a Kokiri armed with a short bow sprinting through the trees ahead of them. Then another and another.

"What's going on?"

…

* * *

…

Don't forget to review.


	27. Sea of Sand

The Legend of Zelda: The Warrior Prince

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**Chapter 26: Sea of Sand**

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The mana sprite explains carefully, "Navi hasn't finished regenerating. She'll be a . . ."

The crunching scatter of leaves snaps Raidon's head around, and a Kokiri sprints over his shoulder races through the trees across the prince's intended path west. Two more follow shortly after.

"What's going on?" Raidon's hand instinctively grips the sword at his waist.

Ruth collects into a slightly flattened sphere and starts to swirl, but Saria's fairy is one step ahead. The yellow glow pulses and Saria speaks, "A pack of moblins were caught probing in the forest to the south."

The Dunlarian draws his leaf-blade. "Why the hell are those kids going?"

"They're Kokiri, it's what we were created for." Saria watches them go with a slightly forlorn expression on her face, such a contrast to her child-like appearance.

"What?"

The voice of the forest sighs. "In the War of the Golden Power, the King of Darkness – Ganon – sent an army of moblins to destroy the Lost Forest. Some Hylians, along with the unlikely allies of the Zora, saved the Deku Trees, but the losses were terrible, and the moblin army escaped to wreak havoc elsewhere. The Deku Trees created the Kokiri so the forest would be able to defend itself, and pursue its attackers."

The warrior prince nods, then rather suddenly breaks out into a sprint, following the remarkably swift Kokiri. Raidon is impressed, and he makes a mental note not to underestimate them despite their apparent physical similarity to elf kids. They pass under a lighter portion of canopy, and the additional light reveals filled quivers and short bows slung over their backs.

A couple of dark shapes loom on the forest floor ahead, and it's not until he leaps over the first one that he realizes that they're dead moblins, arrows protruding from their backs. Finally, he nears the remainder of the fleeing beasts, running frantically away.

A lightning bolt handily brings down one long enough for him to come into blade range, when he chops it down for good. Quick arrows flit from between the trees from Kokiri he didn't even know were there to down another two moblins, but the last one is just slightly out of range. He swings his arm, blasting out a fireball which bursts on the pig-like foe, releasing a disgusting charred smell.

"Raidon, no! Fire magic is forbidden in the forest!"

A shadow passes over the prince and if he could have reached out to choke the annoying sprite attached to him by the Deku Tree, in that moment he would have. Fortunately for the green glow, the fire spell injured the moblin and caused it to trip, just enough to make it fall back in its run.

Raidon's scimitar plows through it three steps later. Just to vent some pent-up hostility, he chops into it another three times before taking on a mysteriously calm expression and beginning to wipe off his sword.

Ruth swirls above the warrior prince, concerned but still too much a stranger to his personality to have any idea what to do. "Navi's almost done."

The Dunlarian wipes his leaf-blade and sheathes it. "Then we're going."

Ruth nervously hovers over the prince the whole silent march back to the meadow where the rest of the troop waits. _What an enigmatic young man. I've seen many Hylians and other people, but this young man's soul is so filled with turmoil and grief_.

Finally, they reach the clearing, and the troop is assembled patiently. Link stands up and nods in greeting. He notices the fairy-like being hovering around Raidon and prods jokingly, "Who's your friend?"

The glowering prince snaps without missing a beat, "Is your fairy ready?"

Link is taken aback by the Dunlarian teen's outburst. "Uh . . . yeah. Wh—?"

"We're leaving." Raidon's fingers clench into a fist and he mutters quietly, "I need to smash something."

…

* * *

… 

The sound of footsteps marching in time echoes in a thunder through the craggy canyon. Golden eyes peek up over the red rock at a cut off shelf in the craggy canyon. Her bow shifts on her shoulder and she slides out her leg to try to get a more comfortable position as she waits. A moblin steps around the bend. Then another . . . and another . . . and then the horde comes into view.

A sea of the ugly, pig-faced beasts come out in a march, perfect columns at least twenty-five wide, the ground thundering with each well-timed footfall. Ahren slides her fingers along the length of her bow subconsciously, beads of sweat collecting on her brow. _This was supposed to be a small group of moblin captains. There's no way an army of this size could have taken Brent Spire city and already marched out_.

A banner catches her eye and the arrow nocks in her bow before she can think _general!_ Her eyes follow down the long, red banner, but her blood runs cold when she sees the commander of this moblin army . . .

A Morihoth in an abyssal black cloak marches along in the center of the rectangular formation. In his right hand he holds a polearm that he taps along the ground like a walking stick. The glaive is black steel, the dark metal running from the sweeping blade, uninterrupted all the way down the shaft in one solid piece of metal.

Ahren's eyes nearly pop out of her head. _I need to warn Gorgon_. The sandwoman slinks away, only rising to a standing run when the sound of marching begins to fade. She begins a sustained run and lets out a gasp in relief. Strangely, the sound she hears isn't a gasp, but a short, canine snarl.

…

* * *

… 

Sand shifts under his feet and the knight's ears twitch from a sound in the distance. "Was that a woman screaming?"

The Dunlarian Fountain Guard, looking very unhappy with walking through deep sand, turns his ear towards the direction of the sound. "I heard it too, Hylian."

The troop takes off, and Link charges his Pegasus Boots to blast over the sand towards the rocky gullies that the group was trying to find a way around. Sparking of lightning magic lights a point about a hundred yards from the side of the spider-web gully, fortunately on the east side near him. Giant wolves circle a figure brandishing a wide, curved sword.

One of the wolves leaps at the figure with a snarl, the swordsman swings and only barely holds off the snapping lunge. Before the swordsman even has the sword swing back under control, another wolf runs up from behind and slashes with the claws on one of its front paws, drawing a feminine scream of pain from the swordsman – swordswoman.

Link, while still sprinting closer, draws his recurve bow and sends an arrow into the nearest wolf, only noticing that they carry riders when this one pitches off as the wolf staggers its run. Link aims up and sends another arrow at long range into another wolf heading towards the swordswoman, striking its side and causing it to falter.

The troop starts to arrive, and one of the leather-armored soldiers braces his feet and nocks an arrow in his yew longbow. With more wolf-riders closing on the weak swordswoman, Link charge-sprints closer. One of the riders notices his approach and diverts his mount from the bleeding woman to the knight. Link draws his sword and comes to an abrupt stop, skidding a gouge into the sand, and swings just in time to connect with the jaws of the giant wolf.

The blow deflects its teeth, but the wolf directs its bulk and shoulder-slams Link into the ground. More wolves approaching, he rolls and swings his legs to get himself up faster, sheathing his sword on the way up in favor of a stronger weapon. The next wolf approaches, its jaws yawning with fangs longer than his hand. The Hylian swings his Megaton Hammer, which connects with a crunch of breaking skull.

The wolf slams into the ground, Link jumping up and running along its top-turned side and swinging his hammer again to bash the ugly, humanoid rider. A black, gnarled arrow flits through the air into the knight's back and he yelps but lands on his feet. Another gnarled arrow comes from one of the riders, but this time the knight is alert and prepared, with the speed of the best swordsman in Hyrule, he bats the arrow out of the air.

Another wolf charges at the woman, struggling just to stand, and an arrow sails down out of the sky into the rider, who jerks the reins in his death throe. The wolf slams into the woman and keeps going. This time the woman stays down, bleeding so much that the sand around her looks like a glistening red.

Link sets himself between the downed swordswoman and a wolf with an arrow sticking from its side. He swings back the Master Sword and begins charging a sword-spin. He can feel a warmth start to grow in the blade as it slowly steps closer, snarling, spittle hanging from its mouth. His blade starts to rumble and an arrow flits out of the sky into the wolf's body, just missing the rider.

It snarls but doesn't falter, eye contact locked with the courageous knight. The rider draws a gnarled arrow back in his bark-brown bow, but kicks on his mount instead of firing. The green-skinned humanoid tenses the muscles around its lipless mouth, eyes drawn taught in focus. He kicks and the wolf suddenly surges forward, lifting a paw for a swipe. Link lets loose with his sword at the same instant as the rider fires his arrow, the magic wash of the spin knocking it away.

The wolf goes down and Link jumps, batting away a final desperate shot from its rider before slashing through him as well. Another arrow sails down into a nearby wolf, and finally the rest of the troop meets the wolves in combat.

The wolf-riders divert to the larger, apparently more threatening group approaching, and Link switches to bow to send an arrow into one rider. Suddenly, something powerful and sharp slams across his back, tossing him forward.

The wolf that clawed him from behind chomps down on his leg before he can get up. The Hylian drops his bow and reaches to his belt for his Storm Scepter, blasting an ice ball into the wolf, which roars in surprise but doesn't freeze. The scimitar that plows through its skull does the job.

Raidon leaps up, the tip of his blade still wedged in the giant wolf, and kicks the rider off the saddle before the wolf tips over. He back flips, using the momentum to wrench his sword from the giant canine. With a thud behind the knight, the last wolf and rider go down, and he turns again to the mysterious woman.

She now lies unconscious on the sand, her beige camouflage tunic soaked dark with blood, her sword lying in the glistening red sand beside her. A howl comes from somewhere in the near distance in the gorge and one of the Dunlarian soldiers kneels down with a roll of bandages and begins field treatment as Raidon retrieves her sword.

The soldier stands up and stuffs the remaining bandages into a pouch on his belt as he states worriedly, "She lost a lot of blood. She's not going to make it much longer."

Link kneels down and scoops her up into his arms, one hand under her knees and another under her back. "How far to the village?"

Raidon nods towards the south-west. "This way a few miles, hurry."


	28. Moblins' Next Target

The Legend of Zelda: The Warrior Prince

…

**Chapter 27: The Moblins' Next Target**

…

The troop jogs up to the village, most of them just trying to get to the mudbrick huts when the Dunlarian teen slows. "The guard should be nearby—"

Link is about to ask why there don't seem to be any guards around when the sand at his feet explodes. The next thing he knows, someone has the prince from behind, a knife pressed against his throat. Despite being held at knifepoint from behind, Raidon doesn't appear the least bit surprised, nor is he struggling.

"We just rescued a Sandhawk, her injuries were beyond our ability to heal. She needs help now."

The sandman is clearly uncertain of the truth of their statements, and despite the certainty that his fellow is injured, he's unwilling to let them into the village. "How—"

The Gorgonite in Link's arms shifts minutely, and she weakly manages to say, "Goblins on Wargs."

The sentry loosens his grip and his knife. The one eye not hidden by his hastily disheveled sand-veil snaps open. "Wargs . . . ?"

Link looks back and forth for a moment. "What? That pack of giant wolves we took down?"

At this, the sentry looks like he's about to drop his knife. "You faced a whole _pack_ of them, and you still stand?"

Raidon, apparently tired of standing there explaining things by knifepoint, pushes the Gorgonite's blade hand. He snaps with far more anger than it seems the situation calls for, "We can explain later, but first Ahren needs the village healer!"

The sentry flinches at the power in Raidon's voice, something that surprises everyone since he seemed so cold and distant since being forced to leave Dimitri when they departed the Dark World. The sandman steps back, "Yes, very well. The healer is—"

Raidon is already marching ahead, "I'm Mowati, I know where the healer is."

Link scrambles when the Dunlarian teen begins jogging and continues to speed up until he comes to a long, rounded mudbrick house in the sandy desert village. The knight steps inside and is quickly intercepted by the healer, who brings him to a back room as the rest of the troop enters the sandroom and mimics Raidon as he shakes off as much sand from his clothing and armor as he can, then removes his boots.

After setting his footwear aside, he pushes aside the leather-skin door-flap and leads the troop into the den. The others sit as the prince pulls aside a Gorgonite for questioning. "I got a letter that Morihoth were trying to start a civil war."

The sandman sighs. "Well, if that's their aim, they haven't been too successful. Unfortunately, that hasn't stopped them from bringing the empire to its knees. It's only a matter of time . . ."

The elf teen snaps, slapping the sandman in his fury. "You've already given up on the empire? What about Dunlar?"

The Gorgonite rubs his hand over his cheek, though the sting is more in the truth to the youth's righteous fury than the physical blow. "S . . . sir, there are monsters everywhere. Moblins and creatures far darker rode unchecked across this land," his voice drops a few levels in volume as he stares off into space, "Until a week ago."

"There were beasts across the whole empire, rumor has it they even touched the imperial capitol in Dunlar Valley, but then as if called, they sped to Brent Spire City."

Ruth, who had been quiet and hidden for most of this time, now appears, coalescing into a sphere with a swirl of green 'mist'. Curiosity having taken the best of her, she pipes, "You even named the valley after yourselves, too?"

Raidon curls a hand into a fist rigidly at his side and answers, "No, we changed our name after the valley."

Ruth bobs back and forth in a confused manner for a moment. "Why?"

Raidon resists the urge to smack the ethereal being away for prying into matters that no one has dared venture before. "None of your business."

The leather-skin door across the room opens and Link steps out with a sullen look. "We need to link up with the nearest army detachment, there's a moblin regiment marching to Mal'la Hi."

Ruth looks confused again, some of her ethereal form swirls around her. "What's that?"

The warrior prince is already heading to the door when he replies, "The capital of Gorgon."


	29. Ganon's Greatest Pawn

The Legend of Zelda: The Warrior Prince

…

**Chapter 28: Ganon's Greatest Pawn**

…

Footsteps pound along in a dull thunder as the two young elves watch the approaching horde, confirmation of what both feared. Raidon slides back down the reverse slope of the hill and sighs. "If there was a sandworm in five miles, I bet we could take down almost all of 'em."

Link continues to stare, amazed not just at the sheer number but the coordinated precision. Each moblin stands exactly in a precisely positioned grid, each one stepping left, right, left, right. "There must be thousands. How are we gonna hold them off with just a few hundred?"

Raidon hops onto his feet in a low crouch. "The moblins will be easy, they're slow and stupid. What I'm worried about are all the Morihoth." Aside from the general Ahren spotted, there are at least a dozen other Morihoth, one leading each company marching slowly but steadily towards the Gorogon capital.

Link pushes himself down the reverse slope, away from the crest and the view of the approaching doom. "We won't make it, will we?"

Raidon looks down, but this time a strange calm settles over his face, his voice certain and clear. "There are some battles that must be fought, no matter how bleak the outcome seems."

He looks up with a mixed smile – smirk, and Link isn't sure which one he's putting on for show. The prince reaches out a hand to help Link up and when the knight takes it, he lifts the Hylian up and they begin jogging towards the scout Dodongo. "Well, everybody else should be in position. God speed."

…

…

A virtual sea of moblins advance on Mal'la Fields, footsteps falling in thundering rhythm. One figure in red chain-mail stands resolutely in their path, a steadfast sentry against the oncoming storm. Though he holds a yew longbow in his hand, he doesn't nock an arrow, and the moblin archers hold likewise, wondering what this lone man is doing.

The horde marches steadily closer, but the elf in red stays as still as the stone formations scattered across the fields. Suddenly, Link snaps his bow up and sends a silver arrow up into the air, a trail of fire following the magically charged projectile. The first shot let loose, now Link begins releasing a flurry of arrows into the oncoming throng.

With a gesture from the leading Morihoth, now the moblins ready bows and prepare to send a cloud of arrows into the valiant youth. The flaming arrow reaches the zenith of its high trajectory, and all hell breaks loose.

Sand bursts from hundreds of points within the moblin ranks and suddenly the invading army finds furious Gorgon warriors appearing like a furious desert wind. The carefully assembled formation breaks apart like water upon rocks. A gang of moblins rushes the Hylian knight, who switches bow for blade and runs at them with a battle cry.

Steel clashes in a cacophony of blows, drowning out the roars and screams. Link easily slips through the defense of the first moblin, thrusting the Master Sword into its throat, then pulling it out and making a hard downward swing, nearly splitting the skull of the next moblin. The third blocks once, but is far too slow to block the knight's next slash.

Link drops into a crouch and lets loose a quick sword spin, cutting down another four moblins. He pops back up, but notices that the ugly beasts coming after him seem to be parting for something. Another three moblins later, he finds out what.

The pig-faced creatures step back to give a wide berth to the tall, strong figure clad in a blood-red tunic and an abyssal black hooded cloak hiding his head. Link's hand tightens on the Master Sword.

"Morihoth."

Black lightning blazes across the space between the sorcerer and the knight. Link just barely whips his sword up in time, taking residual tendrils but reflecting the main bolt back at his nemesis. His own tainted magic strikes him and sends him flying back. He stands up, a drop of blood falling from underneath his mask, and despite the hood he can almost see the dark mage smile. "You have improved since the last time you faced Lord Agahnim."

"I've got plenty of tricks, and I guess all of my tricks will be new to you." Link leaps forward, his golden blade glinting in the sun as he brings it down on the dark wizard.

The Morihoth blurs out of the path of the sword of evil's bane. The sword gouges the dirt and Link growls, taking a reaching horizontal swing. The cloaked foe leaps, easily evading the slash, landing behind the knight and swinging a hand crackling with black lightning.

The Hylian goes flying with a cry. Although this foe hasn't split up into a dozen fakes like Agahnim, the fight is too close for comfort and he doesn't like being surrounded by moblins. The Morihoth crouches, his hands held close and transcribing small circles as he charges a ball of plasma.

Link gets up into a ready pose. _This is getting better every minute_. He steps on one of his arrows which fell out of his quiver when the Morihoth sent him flying, which reminds him of the tale from the sandman who gave him his longbow, a legend of the power of a silver arrow filled with altruism. The ball of plasma looms, expanding larger and larger, shimmering with the rage of an ancient magic. Link takes careful aim.

The Morihoth releases the ball.

Link fires the arrow.

The arrow splits through the ball, flying straight and true into the dark enemy's heart. Link dodges the remnants of the plasma and the arrow strikes the surprised sorcerer with a "thwuck" sound. The affect is anything but what the Hylian expects.

There is a strong, deep pulse, like a single heartbeat, from the Morihoth, so strong that the ground shakes. The many shadows from the nearby battle, from spears, swords and banners seem to twist and warp, alternating between reaching for the blood-red wizard and snapping away.

A low howl grows from an unknown source, and a dark form of shadow with hints of an infernal red starts to ooze straight out of the Morihoth's body like water squeezed from a sponge. He tries to gasp and arches backwards as he starts to float up, his toes lifting off the ground. Dark tendrils shoot up from his limbs up into the sky, the steady lines wavering and twisting like tentacles on an octopus before suddenly snapping and dropping slack, falling to the ground and disintegrating. Link has a momentary flash of the similarity to a puppet the instant before the Morihoth drops to his knees. A blast of a dozen tendrils of the same dark shadow/red shoot off in all directions along the ground.

A roar rises up from the moblins, who suddenly look even more confused and panicked than before. Link can't even get his sword out of its sheath before the tip of a hooked moblin spear jabs into the back of his shoulder.

What was confusion before is now utter chaos, and despite his speed and skill, the discordant symphony of his golden blade can only stop so many spears. He locks with a hooked spear from a moblin on his right and too late spots a needle-like lance thrust towards him, slamming through his chain mail and through his rib cage with a crack.

Link stumbles backward and coughs blood, feeling the liquid begin pooling in his lung. Another spear comes rushing at him and he can't seem to find the energy to get his sword there in time to parry when suddenly a massive spread of lightning bolts sear into the moblins, sending them panicking back.

The Hylian, starting to feel that light-headed confusion that one feels from loss of blood, glances at the source of the lightning, and sees a very determined Morihoth on his knees, blazing out the powerful magic with both hands. His hood is flopped back, revealing a stained cherry-wood mask of frowning man.

He lets loose a wordless battle cry, the power of his spell rising with the intensity of his voice until he loses the battle frenzy and slumps over to one side. Not enough for one day, Link's next surprise is when the moblin who impaled him suddenly drops in two, a Morihoth wielding a black-steel glaive behind it. The glaive-wielder moves without stopping, using impossible speed and power, much like the frowner's berserk rampage just before he collapsed, and in like manner, this Morihoth crests his rage and falls to the ground in a heap.

Knowing the battle has already been lost, the remaining moblins scatter. A Gorgonite hefts his scimitar in the air and bellows, "Hip hip!"

"Hurrah!"


	30. Free Men

The Legend of Zelda: The Warrior Prince

…

**Chapter 29: Free Men**

…

The middle-aged man wakes up inside of an unfamiliar, plastered room. He sits up and immediately clutches his heart. "It feels like that boy shot a tree into my chest."

"No worse than your moblins did to me."

Shocked, the sorcerer spins around to see Link standing nearby, his mail and shirt removed, his torso wrapped in bandages. The man smiles. "Sir Link, I am surprised to see you up and about."

The young Hylian allows himself a smirk. "I'm a resilient little elf, I recover quickly." He uncrosses his arms and looks over the wizard. "You're not too bad yourself, I just barely missed your heart."

The wizard looks down and realizes he's wearing bandages over his chest. He gently rubs the swathe and closes his eyes, smiling. "Peace . . . quiet . . ." He pauses, as if afraid that by speaking, he might shatter the reality he woke into. "I'm finally . . . free . . ."

Link remains openly suspicious. "Uh-huh. Well, you guys did help out against the moblins. Why?"

The magus realizes he's still touching the bandages and forces his hand down. "Moblins are the grunts of Lord Ganon's army."

The knight crosses his arms again, feeling his question unanswered. "Okaaay, old man."

The bandaged man sticks his nose in the air with an imperial air and states, "My name is Plantos, and in _my_ country, they taught us to respect our elders."

Link decides to humor the wizard. "What country is that?"

"The greatest nation on earth, the Dragmire Empire."

The Hylian's confusion shows pretty clearly as he asks, "The what?"

Raidon sighs from a few beds over, "Well, the Warg's out of the cave now." He looks away, avoiding any possibility of eye contact with the other two as he explains, "We changed our name to separate us from our origin."

The knight's bewilderment only increases, even Plantos doesn't seem to follow. "I don't understand."

The prince lets out another mournful sigh. "I am Raidon Dunlar, son of Thesalon Dunlar, descendant of Medanos Dragmire, descendant of Ganondorf Dragmire."

Link's jaw nearly hits the floor. "You're son of . . . bloodline of the King of Darkness?!"

Surprisingly, the prince's mana sprite comes to his rescue, floating up from some hiding place behind his bed. "Sir Link, you don't understand the burden the prince lives under. He tries to live nobly, but the tale is old that the lust for power is a curse that runs through the bloodline, that all are doomed to fall to it until the triumph of the prophesied champions. And even then, tales say that one of the champions will falter and doom themselves."

Plantos recognizes the sprite's words. "Lavos, the prophecy of _The Fall and Reconciliation_. I heard of it. Ganondorf Dragmire was a fiefdom king under Ancient Hyrule, but he wasn't content with that and one day stumbled upon a portal to the mythic Golden Power.

"Many forces clashed trying to wrest it, but he had already claimed the terrible object, its power scorched the land before he tamed it, splitting the ancient nation and creating the Desert of White Bones. His bloodline survived and led the remnants of the Ancient Hylians to Dunlar Valley and made the Dragmire Empire."

"_Dunlar_ Empire." Raidon corrects with noticeable venom to his voice.

The magus from earlier days of the empire nods conciliatorily. "Though they led the people through struggle, the greed that consumed Ganondorf's heart left a curse on his descendants, and each fell to one misfortune or another. Some day, a warrior will be born from that bloodline that will shatter the fetters and free his line, and his people, from the curse of the Golden Power."

The prince lets out a defeated breath and stares blankly at the foot of his bed. "So now you know my history, the burden I bear."

Link has to sit down. _The weight of the world, the whole future. It's a wonder he hasn't cracked_. He lifts his head up and notices a dark figure standing in the doorway patiently. The knight's bark isn't patient. "What is it?"

The Morihoth enters and bows briefly to Plantos. "Sir, others have all reported the same. Our shackles have been broken."

"Was that the black string that came out of you?" the knight asks, remembering the bleeding power that leeched out of him when the silver arrow struck.

The black-clad man stands and turns to the Hylian teen with shock recognizable through his masking. "It was you?"

Plantos smiles. "Yes, Melos. This is the boy who freed us."

The now-named Morihoth 'Melos' immediately drops to one knee, bowing to the knight. "Sir, if there is anything we can do to repay you . . ."

A flicker of opening his secret compartment in his basement and finding it empty passes through his mind's eye. "Returning the cape and Moon Pearl you stole would be nice."

Melos falters under the teen's harsh gaze, and makes a brief choking sound before he manages to get out, "I can check for the Cape of Winds, but Ganon himself dispatched us to obtain your Moon Pearl. He holds control of it now."

The warrior prince ventures, "What about Moon Pendants?"

Melos turns to the Dunlarian teen, rising from his kneel. "Those were provided by Ganon's Kai Foundaries, we few have no extra—"

"Then the bloody rocks in them!"

The Morihoth seems a little confused now. "We keep spares of the gemstones, but without—"

"I've already got a pendant." The prince glowers more than seems strictly necessary.

Melos seems to come to a realization. "Ah, you probably need the Karen Jewel." He turns with a swish of black cloth and hastily departs the room.

Link now takes the momentary absence of unknown people to resume his interrogation of Plantos. "So, what exactly were the Morihoth doing?"

The old magus pauses, then relents. "We were the vanguard of Ganon's forces, he used us to lead troops of lower soldiers pretty often. Agahnim hoped that we'd be able to tip the balance, but Lord Ganon learned a lot from last time. He's already regrouping, and he's probably going straight for his goal now."

The knight crosses his arms. "Mal'li Hi wasn't his target?"

Plantos shakes his head. "Mal'li Hi was only a waypoint. His target is the green city, the mirror to the Obsidian Palace that was our home."

"So what is it?" Link squeezes his hands into fists, tired of not getting a straight answer from the adult elf.

Raidon pushes himself slowly to a sitting position. "There is only one place Dunlarians call the 'green city', the gate to the Imperial Palace. Dunlar City. . .

"The Imperial Capitol."

…

* * *

…

The crystal ball's projection flickers, and the three-dimensional image of Dunlar stabilizes. A red smudge slowly shifts, the recollected Moblin army on the move towards Dunlar City. Various spots of red from other detachments of moblins and other beasts summoned by Ganon are sprinkled across the image, a large red blot on the plains of Rastan where one unstable fragment of the empire betrayed the whole and joined Ganon.

A pointer sweeps at the mass of red sprinkled across the map. "We have skirmishes all over Dunlar, even the knight convoys are being ambushed. We don't know how much longer they'll be able to hold off. Crushing them would aid movement of reinforcements, but every time we take out one, more appear."

Raidon taps his heel on the step behind him. "I'm sure that every little bit would help. Even a mosquito can make the eye of a warg bleed."

The pointer stops on Rastan. "The traitorous Rastans quickly surrendered to Ganon, and are working with him now. Word has arrived that the siege machines they are so famous for are being brought out of their warehouses and workshops and are being assembled to aid the attack on Dunlar Valley."

Now the pointer sweeps to the Kai Mountains, skipping over Dunlar Valley. "There have also been rumors that the Morihoth still under Ganon have been disturbing boneyards, and that the skeletons of several dragons have gone missing."

"Their wargs aren't as strong as dodongos, but they split the cavalry apart. There is at least a full battalion scattered across the core empire. On the edge of the Gorgon Wastes, a brigade is gathering."

The prince nods in a businesslike manner, his steely expression betraying nothing. "What of the report of insurrection in the Tebron Hills?"

"We know the region is overrun with Ganon's forces. The Morhadrin have long been famous for their archers, but we haven't seen their legions attacking us yet. Unfortunately, a company of archers is harder to spot than a trebuchet, so our spies may not know or may not have been able to get confirmation to us yet. I'm afraid that's all we have, sire."

Raidon nods. "I will travel east and see what I can do to rally the cavalry. Sir Link of Hyrule?"

The knight, silent and contemplative until called, finally nods and steps forward. "I'll head southwest and see if I can disrupt the assembly of Rastan siege armies. After that, I'll make my way to the Kai Mountains. The threat of dragons is too great to ignore."

Princess Zelda stands. "I will go north-west to Tebron Hills. If they are still loyal, I will endeavor to help them on my way to Dunlar Valley. If not, I'll do what I can to slow them down."

Both Raidon and Link snap up to object, but the Hylian speaks first. "My lady, it is much too dangerous. They have at least a standing legion—"

"We're not sure if they're against us or not, and I'm not afraid of archers. There is too much to do before we rendezvous at Dunlar Valley for one of us to sit behind, and no," She preemptively cuts off another protest from the knight, "you are not following me. We have to split up, there isn't enough manpower for you to guard me."

A brief shadow of a smile passes appears in Raidon's expression, almost instantly quashed by a look of forlorn determination before his cold, impassive expression returns. "It looks like everything's decided. Slow down and hinder Ganon's armies at every opportunity, and hopefully our rallies will be enough." He quiets, knowing that with the forces they're facing, still led by Morihoth, their chances of success are depressingly low.

The briefer, an elf from Dunlar Valley, bows. "We will insure that our armories are open for you to take your pick before you leave. 'Swords are more plentiful than swordsmen' today, so I have made sure to have a few . . . special items set aside specifically for you."

…

* * *

…

Locks slide open with an echoing boom and the gargantuan double doors rotate open, gilded Damascus steel glinting in the torch light as two-feet-thick doors reveal a cavernous, multilevel room behind. Racks on racks of swords spread out along a room three stories tall ahead of them, balconies of each level hinting at racks of armor, shields, and other weaponry.

The Hylian knight takes a moment to suck in a breath. "When he said 'armory', I was expecting a room, not a complex. Don't you Dunlarians do anything war-related _small_?"

The prince smiles, "This is an imperial armory, one of the four grand storehouses of the empire. Of course, this is nothing. If you want big, you ought to see the Rastan machine grounds. They had a scorpion – like a giant crossbow – with a bolt head bigger than me."

Link shakes his head as a sandman leads him through a corridor to the left into a room filled with more shields than he thought existed. A row of pedestals stretch out along the center of the room, racks of shields cramming the sides. The occupants of the pedestals are all covered by a silk-like, brown material, and he starts to tug at the covering of the nearest one.

"Would you prefer a tower shield, sir Link? That one is a Dwarven silver-edged blue steel alloy from the War of the Golden Power." The sandman armorer patiently waits.

Link hesitates, then drops his arm. "No, I find tower shields too bulky and cumbersome. What was it that you had set aside?"

The dark-skinned armorer walks a few pedestals farther into the gray-red stone room and pauses, waiting for the young elf. "Here, sir. This is a treasure we have been protecting for generations."

Link takes the invitation and pulls off the silk covering to reveal a beautiful tapered kite shield. The silver seems to glow with its own pure, white light, he can see his face perfectly reflected in its flawless surface, broken only by the shallow etching of the crest of Dunlar, a three-headed dragon with a faint background of the three triangles.

His mouth slides open yet seems to shut off as his arms reach out of their own accord to pick it up. Though wider and at least half taller than his mirror shield, it doesn't feel cumbersome at all, it fits over his forearm like it had been delicately crafted just for him. Its weight is light as a feather, it somehow seems to make his whole body feel lighter.

The round-eared sandman smiles. "You approve, sir?"

Link nearly jumps in surprise, he was so entranced by the shield he had almost forgotten his surroundings. "Approve? This is the most beautiful shield I have ever seen or held in my life."

The giddy knight steps outside into the wide hallway for some room, and takes a few experimental swings and poses. So light, so strong. How could such an incredible thing have been made by mortal hands? "All I need to do is figure out what to do with my mirror shield."

…

* * *

…

As Link and Zelda are led off, a Gorgonite attendant leads the prince to the head of the opening sword-hall. "We found this being carried off in a warg's pack of a raid group, they seemed to be transporting it to one of their dark strongholds. I thought it would be especially fitting to you, my liege."

He drags out a tattered, cloth-wrapped package and casts off the crude wrappings to reveal a scimitar sheath of boiled leather overlaid with blue velvet, on top of that gilded with blue steel in the image of a swooping eagle, talons outstretched.

Raidon rests his hand on the extended handle and pauses, it's like the sword is calling out to him, crying to be brandished against darkness. It slides out of its sheathe with a subdued 'shink'. Like the silver short swords he found earlier, this blade somehow feels so light he fears it might fly out of his hand, yet it fits so well against his fingers.

He swishes it through the air a few times, impressed that such a large weapon can feel so easy to wield. Ruth floats through the air, her whispy form trailing after her as she makes figure eights over the prince and his weapon. "There's something different about this weapon, Raidon." She flies down, circling close around the young Dunlarian and spiraling around the length of the blade before returning to float above the prince. "There's a strange . . . I sense the sword wrapping your mana around the blade."

As the teen warrior fixes the sheath across his back, the Gorgonite notices his inhibitor bracer. "My liege, is that a full inhibitor?"

The last buckle snaps into place with a click, and Raidon looks up to the sandman. "It was, proconsul Markus had me wear it. I can't see how he still justifies my continuing to wear it."

The Gorgonite bows in humble acknowledgement. "I recognized this symbol here, one of the runic pictographs of ice melting into water, weakening your magic." He fishes around in his tunic, and pulls out a broad-ended scalpel-like instrument. "I'm guessing this block prevents you from casting ice magic, and I happen to know enough that I might be able to remove it."

The prince holds out his arm and the sandman successfully pries the irregularly-shaped block off of the mithril bracer. Raidon sighs contentedly. It feels like a weight has been lifted from his mind; finally an entire branch of magic has been opened up to him. "Now all I need is to get this last lightning inhibitor removed, and my best magic will be back."

The Gorgonite bows thoughtfully. "I'll see what I can do, my liege."

…

* * *

…

The princess of Hyrule rounds another corner and passes through a doorway with the three-headed dragon crest of Dunlar proudly displayed on the capstone. "Shield-bearer, how much farther is it?"

The desert-tanned Dunlarian elf bows politely as he pauses. "Forgive the delay, milady, yours is an unusual weapon." He kneels next to a long box and begins opening the complex lock with a long series of clicks. "This treasure has been an instrument of the Dunlan Fountain Guard since the War of the Golden Power. It only recently came to us when its previous owner was felled by the moblin army you stopped yesterday."

Finally, with an echoing 'clack' sound, the aged mahogany box pops open. The shield-bearer pushes the lid further open and delicately withdraws the weapon held inside.

The long staff's perfect surface glints in the torchlight filtering in from the hallway, yet it seems to possess its own gentle, white glow. The silver quarterstaff is slightly longer and wider than her other one, yet it seems to shape itself to her grip and feels so easy to swing that she's afraid it might go flying out of her hands. Snaking up the length of the pole like delicate vines are familiar runes, writing in the language of the Ancient Hylians.

_Evil comes in great waves,  
There is no fear_.  
_Darkness clouds the sky,  
None falter.  
The sun will shine again,  
Light always prevails_.

She replaces her steel quarterstaff with the silver masterpiece presented to her, then takes the way back out to depart on her journey. At the entrance to the armories, she runs into Link and Raidon, the former giving his mirror shield to the latter. The Hylian princess nods in acknowledgement to them, and she forces a half smile as she states, "I know we have to do this, but it's kind of sad that we have to split up after such a short time."

Ruth chirps merrily, "Don't worry, we'll still be able to keep in touch."

Both Hylians look confused. The knight is the one to speak first, "What? How?"

Navi answers from within Link's lamp, "Fairies and sprites are all connected, you can talk to each other through us."

Zelda folds her arms behind her back and states in a leading tone, "What about me?"

An uncomfortable silence stretches until Navi bashfully supplies, "Be really careful until we meet up at Dunlar Valley."


	31. Savannahs of Rastan

The Legend of Zelda: The Warrior Prince

…

**Chapter 30: Savannahs of Rastan**

…

The sound of clawed feet pounding across the dry savannahs reaches Link's ears. He sighs lightly and nonchalantly reports, "Warg moving in, right." _They keep on coming. 'Guess we really stirred up the hornest nest when we set those trebuches on fire_.

Everything went easily, as they slipped into the savannahs according to plan and destroyed as much of the assembling siege machines as they could, thanks most to his Cape of Winds and a little help from Raidon thanks to his ability to teleport across Dunlar. Now Link and a Dunlarian elf riding the surviving dodongo race away from the Rastans and the smoke rising from their handiwork, the Kai Mountains creeping over the horizon, a dim green wedge of Dunlar Valley just visible.

The elf rider looks at the rising sand cloud from the sprinting warg. He stands and lifts his glaive, searching the uneven horizon for the closing enemy.

Link waves him down. "Relax, I've got this one." _Just one, not a dozen? They must be giving up. 'Bout time_.

Link turns back to the warg and is surprised by how close it is. They're much faster than he gave them credit for. "Damn giant wolves." Link draws an arrow and lets it fly. The goblin pulls the wolf to one side and evades the wooden projectile, returning with one of its own black arrows. A second arrow surprises him, betraying the presence of the a second warg and rider before it moves out from behind the first and speeds up.

With plenty of time, Link sidesteps to evade the black goblin arrows, sending off two of his in rapid succession, the first missing but the second piercing the heart of the new onrushing rider. The first rider fires another arrow just as the Hylian fires another of his own. The knight's missile strikes the second warg in the base of the neck, downing the large creature.

Link sidesteps, calling on all his elven grace to dodge his enemy's arrow before snapping up his long bow and sending back one of his. This time the goblin doesn't have time to dodge, and the wooden arrow impales it in the chest, not quite knocking it off its mount. The goblin shows remarkable steadfastness by recovering and shooting another arrow at the Hylian. Unfortunately for it, the Hylian is a master archer, and by the time the reply arrow has left its composite bow, Link's final arrow is sailing straight for its head.

The goblin tumbles off the warg, which continues running at the knight as if unaware that its rider is gone. Too close to comfortably use his bow, he tucks it away and draws his sword, crouch-stepping to one side and twisting around in one smooth motion. Golden metal shines beside the silver gleam of his new shield.

The warg springs with a roar and Link swings his silver shield, blocking the lunging beast's claws and fangs. The massive bulk of the giant wolf still knocks the knight flying. The Hylian hits the ground rolling, popping back to his feet with a swing of his sword.

The warg snarles and Link slashes again before it has a chance to recover. The giant wolf brings down a huge clawed paw, but falters and roars as a dodongo smashes into its opposite side. Link lets loose a rapid sword-spin and a glaive plunging into the beast's rib cage finishes it off.

The deep boom of a war drum in the distance halts a calm regrouping. Link puts away his sword and shield and charges his Pegasus Boots again, energy flowing through them before he bursts into a superhuman sprint. "We are getting close, sir Link. At this pace, we should reach Dunlar Valley by morning, the peaks of Kai Mountains less than a half day beyond."

The Hylian knight spies a column of smoke rising into the ominously dark clouds blanketing the sky. "I have a feeling we don't have a moment to spare. Let's hope there aren't too many interruptions along the way."

…

* * *

… 

Winds whistle through the rocky steps of the Kai Mountains towering over Dunlar Valley. The dwarf guiding him looks over his shoulder. "We get storms occasionally, but I've never seen anything like this." A crag juts into the mountainside, a path winding along the sides with a door nestled inside.

They take the door and pass through a low tunnel cutting into the mountainside. Though short, the tunnel is surprisingly roomy for one as long as it goes, seeming to cut straight into the mountain for at least a hundred paces. Finally, an orange rectangle appears, the doorway into Kai City, capital of the Dunlarian dwarves. The sight that beholds him takes his breath away.

The space opens up, the ceiling shooting off into the distance and the walls fading to the sides. The main street stretches off ahead of him, a world of dark granite lit by white glowstones and the shifting yellow light of torches. Buildings carved in the mountain line both sides of the bustling street.

The dwarf glances back at the Hylian, a proud but not condescending smirk on his face. "Impressed, eh? And this is just High Street. You want beautiful, come and see Garden Road. Ah, but that'll have to wait for a later time. With dragons dwelling on our peaks—"

Screaming breaks out from the dwarves in the distance, and suddenly the friendly bustle turns into a panicked scramble as everybody rushes to get 'inside', seeking shelter in the buildings carved along the stone street. Link reaches to his Master Sword for the comfort of the feel of its pommel, a grim determination etched into his face. "Looks like we just ran out of time."

…

* * *

… 

The peaks of the Kai Mountains whistle with the frigid winds and thick blowing snow, obscuring Link's view of the skies. He can't hear the dragon, but that doesn't mean it can't hear him. His hand drifts to the hilt of his sword again, worry starting to fill him. The last dragon-like enemy he fought was the magician Blind, and that broke the ancient folded steel.

The dwarves went to scour the other entrances, leaving Link to begin his search from this high doorway onto the peaks. The elf holds up his hand to shield his face from the winds. _They weren't kidding, this is no natural storm_. Footsteps plod over the uneven granite mountain, and Link whips into a ready pose, silver shield and golden sword waiting.

He relaxes when he sees the one approaching is a man, not a massive dragon. Though he can't see very clearly at this distance in the snow storm, he can make out the man's tall and proud stature, the winds tugging at his elegant white silk clothing, gathered at the wrists and ankles. His navy blue velvet shoes plod quietly over the granite, the footfalls virtually silent beneath the roar of the gale.

The wind abruptly switches direction, snatching at the stranger's vest of white silk trimmed in blue, a wide sash of navy blue holding it close against him. The stranger nods, a shadow of a bow but not a condescending greeting. "You seem to be lost out here, master elf. This is the land of the dragons, what concern do you have in this remote corner of the world?"

Despite his courteous behavior, a shiver passes down the knight's spine in the presence of this stranger. Nothing about him is obviously wrong, but feels off. The elegant ponytail holding back his royal purple hair, the piercing gaze of his vibrant azure eyes. But his ears . . . they're round, not long and pointed like an elf's. Link tenses but tries not to show it. "Who are you?"

The man smiles a small, toothless smirk, then lets out a soft chuckle too quiet to be heard by the elf, but visible enough to show his haughty opinion. "Again they send an elf to slay me. Cowards. That is why it is dragons who should rule the world." He allows a wide smirk to spread. "But just one elf this time? Bah. I slew dozens before they pierced my side with the spear Odin."

Link is about to ask what the strange man is talking about when, with no less grace and dignity than the aura he holds himself with, he raises his arm, hand flat, forearm and upper arm making two perfect ninety-degree angles. The storm immediately halts, the winds abruptly dying. He lowers his arm with the deliberate slowness of one who is in absolute control of everything around him before opening his mouth.

The knight is completely caught by surprise by the shock of ice that blasts out from his open mouth. He only partially maneuvers his new shield to block when it hits him, the force of ice, snow, and wind like all the concentrated power of a blizzard strike him like a hammer.

The young Hylian flies back, the ground dropping out underneath him, until the mysterious man closes his mouth, making the blast of ice vanish. Link drops, letting out a cry as he plummets. Hard granite greets him, making the teen grunt and nearly loose his grip on his precious sword and shield. The ice has already faded from the blessed silver, but the part of his chest that was hit still feels cold.

Link sheathes his sword and hastily brushes at the unnatural ice, finally getting the chill off. Something makes him look up, and the figure of a man in white silk is in the air above him . . .

. . . With a dragon's wings stretched out from his back, flapping gracefully through the air. The wings fold in and vanish and the man abruptly plummets, landing in a precise crouch exactly one yard in front of the Hylian. Link vaults to his feet, springing at the dragon-man – it must be Arimas, the dragon lord the dwarves told him about – as he draws the Master Sword in one smooth motion.

Arimas smirks again and the knight grits his teeth, ready to wipe that overconfident smile off his face. He swings his right hand, which suddenly is covered in deep purple-blue scales, each four digits tipped by wicked-looking claws. He strikes the golden blade, making it hum and sending a painful shock down the elf's arm.

Link takes a bracing step back and swings again, only to have his attack again interrupted by a blow from the dragon-man just like before. The elf re-adjusts his grip on the blade, and Arimas swings again, sending a blow into the blade of evil's bane. _He's attacking the sword_.

Another swing of the scaled arm comes, but this time Link retreats a step, bringing up his silver kite shield. The dragon-man's blow glances off, sliding on the flawless silver surface.

Link never sees the follow up blow that throws his shield-arm back, leaving him wide open.

Another swing strikes the knight's loose right hand, sending the golden blade flying. Arimas draws back his right, the arm reverting back to a human form, but the piercing gaze tells Link that the fight's just beginning. The dragon lord's jaw muscles relax and Link whips his hand down to his belt, drawing the Fire Rod.

Fire meets ice, but this is different than when he used the rod before. It doesn't shoot a pulse of fire, this is a billowing stream of flame. The rod shakes in his hand, a yellow-red light spilling from it, from every rune and every decorative line. The air shimmers from waves of heat and the Hylian screams at the pain of his skin burning. The rod expands in his hand, waves of blaze spilling into the dragon-man from the shining amber-colored stone in its tip, creeping unstoppably towards the dragon commanding the power of ice.

Finally, Arimas ceases his ice attack to leap to safety, and Link drops to his knees, the rod falling from his blackened hand. The elf scoops it up with his other, dropping the Magma Rod back in his belt before letting the uninjured hand rove for the healing potion he bought from the Kai dwarves when suddenly, massive, clawed fingers close around him.

Arimas, now in his true dragon form and with Link clutched in his hand, lifts off, zooming over the granite peaks. A wide nook in the mountain range's irregular heights is where the dragon lord dumps the injured Hylian. As soon as the elf gets his bearings, he sets back on his knees and searches his belt, finding the bottle. He pulls it out and pauses, inside swirls a thick, red liquid, as if something was alive inside the greater healing potion.

Link pops the top off and pours the concoction over his hand. Pins and needles stab, but the feeling of a charred limb fades and when the red drips off his hand, a normal limb greets his gaze. With that dealt with, the knight slowly stands and surveys the area around him.

A few tufts of determined, stunted grass eke out an existence from cracks here and there, but the area seems otherwise lifeless. He stands in the middle of a thick, crescent-moon-shaped flat space, a sharp dropoff to one side and a steep rise to the other. The front of a building is carved into the rock in the corner of the nook, light spilling from inside.

The knight steps through the yawning door into what he is for some reason immediately certain is a sepulcher. A steep stone basin stretches out ahead of him, carved out of the mountain, sealing runes lining the rim. Inside lie the massive bones of great dragons. A narrow walkway surrounds the bone basin, a short pedestal of black marble sits against the wall on the other side.

Curious, the young Hylian skirts the edge of the depression carved into the granite to what turns out to be a stone container. Wondering why such a strange, black box is here, he kneels down and slides off the stone lid. He is surprised to see a long sword inside.

He reaches down into the dark box, but the sound of something huge landing hard outside makes him jump to his feet, the sword he was reaching for clutched in his hand. Ice blasts through the door like a massive blizzard was trying to cram through the doorway.

This time, the Hylian gets his shield up in time. The force of the ice magic hits him like a hammer, but he braces and the shield splits the blast, sending it glancing off to the sides. Arimas seems to figure out that his ice attack isn't working, because it ceases and Link hears, "Come out, come out, little elf!"

Link charges a sprint and bursts out of the dragon mausoleum. Arimas is caught by surprise by the Hylian's speed, unprepared for his Pegasus boot charge, and doesn't even have the chance to raise the claws of his huge, true form to block the onrushing silver long sword. A gouge is carved into the purple-scaled beast, but no blood drips from the wound.

Arimas rears with a roar of pain, backing up with a scratching of claws on granite. He levels a gaze of anger on the knight and snaps, "I see you found that hated blade."

Link falters a little. Did he expect the knight to find it? Actually, it does seem a little too convenient. Link adjusts his stance, sword ready. "You led me here. You expected me to get this blade. Why?"

"Fool!" With that bellow, Arimas again lets loose a blast of winter's fury at the Hylian, who counters with his shield. When he lets up his blast he is no less livid. "I was dead! I knew peace!"

Arimas swings and Link leaps over the massive clawed hand. "Were you _hoping_ that I'd kill you?!"

The dragon lord swings again, sending Link flying into the steep rock wall. "I have seen the Golden Power!" Arimas snarles at Link, but this time the anger is one of incredulity. "You cannot be fool enough to have forgotten the ancient legends. None who lay eyes on it can ever be free from it. Lust for gold will consume the weak and the mighty."

Link rushes forward again, swinging the tip of his sword through a knuckle of the dragon's great hand. Back and forth the blows rain, sometimes deflected, occasionally the knight dodges, but somehow the words of the dragon lord cut deeper, biting into him like a barbed blade.

Link swings and Arimas flaps, shooting up into the air, sharp claws glistening from an unseen light. The dragon drops and Link dives, rolling onto his feet and thrusting his sword up into the air, tearing through the great beast's side even though the drop sends the knight flying.

Arimas snaps, Link swings and spins, swinging again as the dragon slices with his claws. Slash, slice, leap, swing, the dance continues. Again and again the blows fly back and forth. Arimas rears up, backs up a step, then drops down hard, shaking the ground so hard it stuns the Hylian. Worse, the dragon's head comes swooping down, jaws stretched and teeth the length of his forearm bearing down on him.

At the last moment, Link's muscles loosen up and return control to him. He throws a bomb and backflips, teeth snapping shut in a hair's breadth from his feet. The bomb explodes and Arimas's eyes widen in shock as the blast tears off his lower jaw. Fog like the deep of a winter spills from the wound and the knight takes the moment of surprise to leap onto Arimas's head and plunge his sword deep into the dragon's eye.

The great dragon lord seizes once, throwing the young Hylian from his head, but then goes still. The winds, at first dead still, pick up, blowing away the clouds and the dragon as his body disintegrates. The mysterious storm gone, Link looks out from the peaks and it seems like the whole world is stretched out before him. The green city rises up in the sides of Dunlar Valley, its shield and protector Fort Turma rising up from a spur shooting down along the side of the valley.

And yet the army marching upon it is so large he can see it with the naked eye. "Navi? Tell Raidon we're out of time."


	32. Tebron Hills

The Legend of Zelda: The Warrior Prince

…

**Chapter 31: Tebron Hills**

…

A snap of the quarterstaff sends the gnarled arrow spinning harmlessly to the ground. The Dodongo-rider slices his glaive through the goblin's neck as the dodongo smashes in the warg with a powerful sweep from its stub-horned snout. Zelda slides her silver quarterstaff into its sheath and complains, "Those are getting really annoying."

The rider nods in agreement. "I think I've lost count, milady." He puts away the glaive and glances around at the landscape, sparsely studded with dry shrubs. "At least we're in the Tebron Hills. It's not far to Dunlar Valley from here."

The princess flexes her fingers, something doesn't seem right. Maybe it's the dark clouds blanketing the sky, but there is an ominous feel, like a great slumbering evil is waking. She sighs, the ominous feeling only added by the sensation of weariness that to seep out of the land itself.

Gravel crunches under the Dodongo's feet, dry clumps of grasses or shrubs occasionally poking up, giving a strong impression of a land ravaged by drought generations long. A mound rises up to one side, at least a dozen narrow, marked wooden stakes studding the top. "What is that?"

The rider glances to the mound at which the Hylian is pointing to. "A burial mound for the nearby village. The posts mark four names each. These all died in the famines that have been sweeping the empire."

Four each . . . Zelda tries to count, but shudders and stops after she passes fourteen stakes. She mutters softly, "So many people to starve to death . . ."

They round another hill when a whole company of Morhadrin appear gathered before them, marching the opposite way on the road. Both sides reach for their weapons and the tension quivers in palpably in the air. Hesitantly, the rider sits straight, reaching his hand away from the glaive sheath. "Countrymen, hail from the empire."

A few seconds tick by with only the sound of the dusty wind, and a number of bitter glares fall on Zelda, and she hears bitter mumbling like "palace girl".

One Morhadrin stomps forward. "What are you here to take from us now? More food? Water? More of our sons and daughters, to die against the Gerudo?"

The rider tenses, gripping the leather reigns tightly to avoid the temptation to reach for his glaive. "The war against the Gerudo is necessary for our survival—"

"That is what you said about the Zorhadrim! You promised us an end to the famine!" The Morhadrin leader in dark, rough brown cloths quivers with righteous rage, but the rider's anger is no less just.

"We thought it would end!"

Confused at the unfamiliar name, Zelda chances speaking by asking the rider, "Excuse me, Zorhadrim? Do you mean Zora?"

The rider is clearly caught off guard. "Yes, that is what they call themselves. How did you—"

He is interrupted when the company leader takes a bow from his back. "I say . . ." he nocks an arrow and finishes his angry cry, ". . . enough!"

He lets loose the arrow and the Dodongo strafes to the side to dodge it, slightly unseating the unprepared rider. Deciding to take advantage instead of fighting his failing perch, he slides from the saddle and rips out a sword and kite shield. Zelda leaps from her rear seat and slides her quarterstaff from her sheathe, twisting it into a silver haze.

The arrows plunge at her and strike the blur, pinging away in a discordant song. The staff makes wide, circular cuts through the air, a silver shield of speed, arrows tumbling to the ground. The front line Morhadrin draw spears as the rider and Dodongo spring into action as the next volley of arrows draw back.

The rider clashes with two spearmen as the Dodongo smashes over three, barreling into the formation. The second volley flies, but the Morhadrin scatter in the face of the Dodongo's charge.

The rider falls back under the advance of spearmen as the arrows' second volley sails down. Zelda whips up her quarterstaff to block the swarm of arrows again, but the spearmen are closing too fast.

She clutches her free hand into a fist and throws it up as if ripping something from the ground. Spikes of ice shoot up from the gravel, cutting apart the advancing line. The remainder aim their polearms, bellow and charge. The rider, bleeding from several spear wounds already, drops his sword and reaches back to draw a wider double-headed axe, using its greater weight to push away their spears.

Zelda bats away the metal points and moves like lightning, slipping inside their safe range and smashing her quarterstaff across four. A more experienced soldier catches her staff and pins it against the ground with his winged spear.

Another approaches and the princess swings back and closes her hand, a shimmering sword appearing clutched in her fingers. The soldier's eyes widen in surprise at the sight of the mana weapon, shock freezing him in place until struck down by the green transparent blade. Another Morhadrin comes at her, long dagger in hand, and steel sparks against the mana blade before the princess cuts him down.

A spearman backs up and thrusts the point at her, taking maximum advantage of his reach. Zelda still can't wrench her quarterstaff free, and the sword is not the ideal weapon to face a spear with, so she looses her hand with a flick, dispelling the mana-generated blade.

The forked spearhead bites, tearing through her sleeve, but instead of rending her arm, there is a screech of metal on metal and the spearhead scrapes along the princess's arm, ripping the sleeve to shreds until sliding off her shoulder, her elegant plate-mail now exposed.

The spearman draws back to try again and Zelda holds up her hand, a point the color of jade shining between the tips of her index and middle finger. He thrusts and she swings, a cord of pure green shooting out, lashing through the air at the Morhadrin.

The mana whip cuts deep, slicing across his face and neck, downing the soldier.

Another Morhadrin draws a sword on her, dropped by a swing of the whip before he is even close enough to swing. The Dodongo finally takes out the spearman pinning down Zelda and the princess lashes out with both arms. Spears fling at her and the Hylian deflects every incoming blow with blinding speed by her staff, occasionally striking out in answer with her mana whip.

The last standing Morhadrin falls under the rider's axe and the three, princess, Dunlarian, and Dodongo stop to breathe. The rider sheathes his axe and bows to Zelda with a look of admiration on his features. "That was astounding, my lady. Perhaps they should call you the Warrior Princess."

Zelda nods modestly, but doesn't say anything. The Dodongo gives his head a shake and kneels in front of them. "We'd better get going, Master. You don't have a flute and it's still a long way from Fort Turma."

The rider nods and after finding his sword, nimbly leaps onto the front seat. Zelda takes a few seconds longer to climb back on. With a skittering of gravel, the three are off. Rocky hills speed by, pebbles scattering under the rumbling gallop.

The rider kicks and the Dodongo speeds up, a shifting in the dark storm at the peaks of Kai Mountains boding some ill omen. The road flies by, hills passing and shrinking behind when a sudden mass of brown opens up ahead of them.

An entire regiment of Morhadrim.

There is a strange, nearly absolute silence, even the raging storm on the peaks of the Kai Mountains goes still and quiet. Then there is a stir in the Morhadrin camp and the rider kicks. The Dodongo breaks into a sprint and the princess gracefully backflips off, whipping out her silver quarterstaff with a crackling of lightning zipping between her outstretched fingers . . .


	33. Desert of White Bones

The Legend of Zelda: The Warrior Prince

…

**Chapter 32: Desert of White Bones**

…

The Warrior Prince of Dunlar kneels next to a scattering of cracked, dried mud, the damage roughly in the shape of a Dodongo's foot. He reaches down his fingers to trace around the shape's perimeter, as if by doing so he could learn which one exactly came through this way on a run eastwards.

A green swirl bobs above, coalescing into a sphere. "What are you looking for, Mast—"

"DON'T CALL ME MASTER!" The bellow is out of his mouth before Raidon even realizes he's shot to his feet to snap at his ethereal companion. He slowly schools his expression and replies in a calm that he feels is out of place for him, "You are not to call me 'master'."

Ruth bobs in a gesture like a nod, understanding dawning in her. _That's right, his Dodongo called him 'master', he doesn't want me to replace his friend in any way or he'll feel like he gave up on him_. For a moment, she is thankful of the empathic bond between she and the prince, subtle though it is and he isn't quite aware of it.

Raidon slowly walks forward, more of the dried plates of mud cracking under his feet as he crosses the bed of what was once the ancient Mohlan River, now but a memory under the scorching sun in the years of drought and famine. Ruth rushes to keep up with him and calls out, "Prince, you don't have to give up one friend to gain another."

Without sparing her so much as a glance, the Dunlarian stubbornly snaps, "I don't need—"

"I won't abandon you."

All is silent but the dusty wind, the outcast teen is caught off guard by that statement. After a few seconds, he ceases trying to think of a rebuttal and continues following the trail east into the Desert of White Bones.

Relentlessly trying to penetrate the prince's psychological shell, Ruth swirls around his head and asks in a perky tone, "Why is it that some people are afraid of new friends or new people?"

Again, Raidon doesn't even look at her as he answers without missing a beat, "New people have a tendency to stab you in the back, and if you let them get close enough to become friends, they aim for the heart."

The last of the dry riverbed crunches under the prince's boots and Ruth silently follows, wondering, _Who hurt him so badly that he fears everybody now?_ She keeps a respectful distance, watching and remaining attentive to whatever thoughts or memories may surface into the portion of his mind she can observe.

Suddenly, the teen spots something and takes off across the sandy waste at a jog. Ruth follows, confused until she spots a tiny lump on the horizon.

Then two. Then three. Finally, she can see a whole herd of Dodongo. "Well, look at all the other cavalry they managed to round up already. It looks like a lot."

"It looks like hardly half of the First Regiment."

Ruth gives a huff. _I never thought I'd be defending someone from themselves_. "More are coming in. You know that."

Raidon doesn't answer, and the mana sprite isn't sure whether he can't think of an argument or whether he's given up snapping at her. Either way, she knows that the issue isn't the cavalry he has or hasn't found, it's that he hasn't found Dimitri. The prince finally opens his mouth and continues marching through the temporary camp. "Once you have rallied together, make all haste to Fort Turma." More quietly, he directs at Ruth without looking at her, "I'm going to keep going."

Waiting until after they gain some distance from the camp, Ruth is ready to speak again and boldly states, "I know how important your people are, and Dimitri."

Finally, this gets a reaction from the young prince. He spins around and shouts, "You don't know about Dimitri! You don't know anything!" He turns away and resumes walking, blinking back what might be tears.

Ruth floats ahead of him to try to force him to make eye contact with her. "Of course not, you refuse to open up to me or anyone else. If you ever opened up to anybody, it _must_ have been that giant lizard, because you certainly won't have said anything to something with two arms and two legs."

"Shut up."

Despite the fact that he keeps his gaze rooted on the horizon, the mana sprite presses on. "With as closed as you are, I'd be surprised if Princess _Zelda_ knows anyth—"

Lightning crackles and even the winds of the Desert of White Bones silence for a moment. 'Shooting daggers' doesn't compare to the glare Raidon is sending Ruth in the moment before his fury takes control. He blasts a lightning bolt into the mana sprite, and in the ensuing moments, he isn't sure whether the screaming is from her . . .

. . . or him.

Finally he stops and collapses, sliding against the cushion of hot sand in the waning sun. After what seems eons, he finally pushes himself from the sand. Ruth is still there, floating just above him, though her form seems a good deal more webbed and transparent than before. She silently hovers over him, silently processing this new knowledge: that Raidon fears what she said was true.

The young Dunlarian looks at the sand pooled around his knees, ignoring the scorching heat, the words of his brother echoing in his head, their pain greater than any sting of the scorpion. _You are a disappointment to father. You are alone and you will always be alone. Do you know why you're a warrior prince instead of being groomed to be the second in line? Ever since your conception, you were born to die. Because you are a mistake!_

Raidon struggles to his feet and cries to the sky, "You're wrong, Naku!"

The prince sucks in a breath, forcing himself not to cry. A warrior does not cry. He marches over the sand for a few paces more before he breaks into a steady jog. One 'island' passes, then the destination rises up. No words are spoken between the two travelers as he makes his way to the dark patch of a swirl in the rock.

When the Dark World materializes around him, Raidon finds himself still in his own body. Unable to even smile at this fact, he reaches to his belt for his flute. Dimitri's song floats out into the air and the prince returns his flute to its pouch.

A few minutes pass as he stands there, still as a statue, before finally seeming to tire when he seeks out a rock to sit down on. "Did . . . do you really think Zelda . . ."

If Ruth had a hand, she would have tried to give him a comforting pat on the shoulder. "I was trying to get a reaction out of you. You _are_ an enigmatic little man." She sighs. "I know your brother hurt you deeply every time you two spoke, but I don't think anything he told you was true."

"No," the teen shakes his head, at that moment looking like more like a lost and lonely teenager than a prince despite his armor. "No, he was right. I _am_ a mistake." Ruth swirls in a gesture like frustrated anger, but the young elf speaks first. "You know that I was born to a different mother, through her the blood of the knights flows through my veins. But did you ever wonder why the sacred union of that first marriage was left behind?"

The mana sprite doesn't answer. Actually, she stays quite still as she listens for the prince to continue. "My father was married once, from his first wife came Naku. She died of sickness later, though Naku insists that one of the disaffected peoples had her poisoned. I don't know. Either way, she died before a second could be born. Dunlar had just conquered the Zorhadrim, and to keep the peace, one of the princesses was supposed to be wed to their High Prince.

"Their High Prince had just been born, so father took a bride from the Royal Guard – my mother. I was supposed to be a princess, so there could be a marriage that would seal the peace between the newly conquered people and us. Instead, I came and my mother died giving birth to me. Father was too old by that point to have any further children, and I've been hated by the High Court ever since."

Ruth swirls empathetically. "That's . . . that's so stupid! That's not fair."

Raidon sniggers. "Life isn't fair. Naku made sure to tell me that almost every day." The mana sprite motions like she's about to argue and the prince puts up a hand to stop her. "Father told me, too, in a sense." He lets out a breath, trying not to let it be a sigh. "I can count on my hands the number of times that he spoke to me, and each one he spoke of his 'beloved son', Naku."

The prince sets his feet on the rock ahead of him and wraps his arms around his knees, drawing them to his chest. "No matter how many battles I fought, sieges I broke, wars I won, never have I heard, 'my son, I'm proud of what you've done'. Always Naku this and Naku that."

Ruth floats silently for a few moments. "What do you think about Zelda?"

The prince looks over his arms at the green swirling form. It takes him a few seconds to force open his mouth, which suddenly feels very dry, when suddenly a heavy gallop shakes the ground.

"Master Raidon!"

"Dimitri!"

The young elf lets out a laugh of relief and throws his arms around his Dodongo's massive neck. A short time passes before the burden of duty breaks apart the reunion and Raidon looks back to the mana sprite, who instead of floating merrily above them, is making a fair imitation of a spiral galaxy. "Uh . . . Ruth? I think you can tell Link that we've accomplished our mission."

A few seconds pass and the green swirl continues turning. Finally, she answers, "Navi's already got a message from Link. He says we're out of time. The siege has arrived at Fort Turma and there hasn't been any word from Princess Zelda."

The prince's heart clenches at that and he mounts Dimitri posthaste, kicking the dodongo to the waiting portal, flaring bright blue as he clutches the Moon Pendant in his hand.

…

* * *

… 

Silver lashes out like a storm's flurry, chains of lightning striking back and forth. The circle having closed, now Morhadrim close in from all sides. A sword flies back from one side, just for a spear to jab at her back from another. A strange cry lifts up from one direction, but by now Zelda has lost herself in the battle at hand.

Block, parry, block, bolt, twist, fast as the eagle still isn't fast enough. Deflecting two spears with her quarterstaff and lashing at a swordsman with lightning in front of her with her other hand, she sees a winged spear sailing at her neck from her left, and there isn't a thing she can do about it . . .

So when the spear suddenly flies up into the air, the first thing that passes through her mind is, _What the hell?_ Then she sees the cavalry soldier riding over the spear's owner, his glaive swinging through the neck of another Morhadrim.

A veritable wall of Dodongo cavalry ride over the soldiers clad in dark-brown tunics. Zelda lets up her chain lightning and clutches her quarterstaff close, trying to make herself as narrow a profile as possible as the stampede rages around her.

Just when she thinks it's almost over, she nearly drops her staff when someone grabs her by the neck of her tattered silk dress and heaves her up onto his Dodongo.

"We don't have any time," Raidon's voice shouts, and he turns back to the others, "Cavalry! Ride to Fort Turma! I will be fighting for you there!" The prince lifts his flute to his lips and they vanish in a swirl of sparkles as the cavalry rides on.


	34. Storm Upon the Rocks

The Legend of Zelda: The Warrior Prince

…

**Chapter 33: Storm upon the Rocks**

…

The dark broadway behind the middle wall is where Dimitri and his riders appear as the teleport spell dissipates. The Dunlarian army is scrambling every which way in the setting sun as the army of Ganon approaches. Before either rider has a chance to dismount, there is a terrible, beastly scream from somewhere up above . . .

Accompanied a few moments later by a very human wail. Zelda looks up to see what looks like a tiny dragon swooping down on the wall, snatching clawed handfuls of soldiers on the parapets and flinging them down the gap behind the wall. What was a disorganized hustle becomes chaos as panicky soldiers stream down the wide ramp.

Raidon and Zelda leap down, then push their way up the ramp. As they go, the princess notices all of the other soldiers going up either have bows or crossbows. As they reach the top, they hear a familiar voice command, "Steady! Its hide is too strong for arrows, aim for the wings and head."

The wyvern slowly begins its turn and Link follows it with his nocked arrow. "Fire!"

Bows sing and arrows flit through the air. Bolts slice through the beast's thin wings, but the holes are too small to stop it and the wyvern roars in anger at the ineffective pinpricks. The archers take cover beside the battlements and Raidon jogs farther to the side to get a clear shot at the side of its head as it aims for the Hylian knight.

The princess sees what he's doing and takes distance on her side to do the same. His arrows ineffective, the knight puts away his bow and draws the Storm Scepter. The wyvern flaps closer and closer, passing over the inner wall when the three unleash their magic on it.

Flames billow from Raidon's outstretched hands into the right side of its face, a beam of ice from Zelda into the left. Link blasts a spiked ball of ice, the projectile sailing straight and true into the base of its left wing, freezing the joint.

The wyvern snarles and drops, flapping its other wing madly in a vain effort to keep airborne. The beast crashes into the side of the wall, it and its Morihoth rider go tumbling down into the gap between the middle and inner walls.

As soon as it's dropped below the causeway level, Raidon breaks into a sprint down the ramp, Link and Zelda following right on his heels. Faintly, the Hylians can hear 'twangs' and 'thuds' in the near distance. At the base of the wall circle the limping wyvern and the prince's steed, deep growls emanating from both.

"Dimitri!" He starts to draw his scimitar, but the Dodongo cuts him off with a shout, never taking his eyes from the wyvern.

"No, master! You must protect the walls!" Before the stubborn prince has the chance to argue, he bursts into a charge, snarling as he and the equal-sized wyvern collide.

A loud bang from the outer broadway draws their attention. Somebody in the distance shouts, and soldiers start pouring towards the outer wall. The three follow some soldiers ducking into the armory before joining the crowd, and they reach the broadway in time to see a fiery ball explode onto the outer face of the middle wall, showering the area with flaming shards that dissipate after a few bounces.

The three race through the scorched space and up the ramp. Once the three reach the top, all of them gape.

If all Hyrule, man, woman, and child were gathered together, it still wouldn't match this swarm. It looks like a sea of moblins, goblins, and other creatures never seen before are arrayed against the citadel of dark granite. Trebuchets, catapults, scorpions tethered to ladders creak, readying their deadly loads. From somewhere behind echoes the command, "Fire!" and dark chunks of rock fly from defending catapults in answer to the beginning enemy attack.

Using their advantage of high walls, the Dunlarian archers line up and wait. Link stands there, bow drawn, unwavering, truly the Dauntless Knight. He notices archers to his right and left glancing nervously at him, and realizes that the normally aggressive Raidon isn't there. He turns around to find Raidon standing in a meditative pose.

The knight pauses there, one hand holding his bow in front of him, and the other gripping an arrow behind him. "Warrior Prince Raidon . . ." _Why aren't you up here?_

The young Dunlarian opens his eyes and looks straight at the Hylian. "I am not an archer, sir Link. They aren't close enough for my magic. This is your battle to start."

The knight hesitates for another moment, the creaking of siege machines on both sides a dire harbinger of death. Finally, he nocks his arrow.

"Ready!"

With the harmony of a song's practiced chorus, the archers up and down the wide causeway nock their arrows into the bows and scan the approaching horde. The knight lets his thumb tickle across the fletching of his arrow as he tries not to think about the numbers of foes they face, or the siege towers trundling steadily closer.

"Aim!"

As one unit, the archers aim with a snapping motion, bows groaning under taught pulls.

"Fire!"

In a song he never thought sounded so sweet, a hundred upon a hundred bows twang and a hundred upon a hundred arrows sing through the air.

A wide swath of advancing moblins drop, but those behind only speed up to close the gap, trodding over their fallen comrades. Link swallows against the feeling of doom and horror approaching, instead turning the energy into adrenaline. With a speed surpassing any of his battles against Agahnim, he whips another arrow out of his wide quiver and nocks it as he bellows:

"Fire at will!"

Now the mass of bows creak like an angry animal, unleashing their metal and wooden splinters upon the marching foe like an angry storm. Were not the setting sun not already hidden behind dark clouds blanketing the sky, the tumult of arrows would have blackened the heavens.

Still come the creaking of the trundling towers, propelled by callow-skinned creatures like moblins, but even larger and more misshapen, their squat legs propelling them slowly forward and their gorilla-like arms pushing the lofty siege weapons ahead. As they near dangerously close, Link calls out, "Snipers! Aim for the . . ."

"Ogres, sire," an archer beside him helpfully supplies.

". . . Ogres!" The Hylian knight carefully feels in his quiver, drawing from his special supply of silver arrows, their longer arrowheads glistening in some minute light. Composite bows twang as the specialized troopers take careful aim and send their missiles at the eight-foot brutes.

At one tower, the directed assault causes the ogres to falter, then stumble, never to get up. Unfortunately, at the one coming almost straight on for the wall beside the gate pauses. The ogres get inside, and Link spots a hint of an axle and gears inside. Some of them include internal propulsion mechanisms, albeit slower than a half dozen pushing from outside.

Link blinks, forcing his mind back to the present, but before his fingers can pull the next arrow from his quiver, the Warrior Prince pushes him aside as the young Dunlarian shows his quality as a general. "Magi!"

Small corridors of archers step back, giving other Dunlarians the room to step forward. Various magics spark like a rainbow along the outer wall's edge. Lightning crackles, ice _chinks_, fire _fooms_. The skies above the wall start to twist and distort.

Zelda, having stood back since she was unable to summon storms, sees what Raidon is doing, and feels a pull from deep inside, a strange understanding despite not knowing what is happening. Lightning crackles all around Raidon, tiny tendrils leaping from his feet to the stone around him, between his raised arms as he slowly twists in the somatic dance of summoning a lightning storm.

Stopping just outside the range of his crackling residual lightning, Zelda closes her eyes and lets the awakening feeling inside take over. Though she never trained with such powerful combat magic, she too adds in the dance of the summoning, adding to Raidon's own spell.

Now the magi's effort is realized as fire spills forth from the earth itself under the moblins' feet, quickly blossoming into raging fire storms. Blizzards seem to burst out of nowhere, assailing the advancing army with blades of ice. The roiling skies above flash, boom with thunder, and then flicker with lightning, bolts rushing down into the towers and moblins alike, no foe free from the light raining from the heavens.

…

* * *

… 

On a covered machine that on the outside appears like a rolling barn sits a pack of Morihoth magi, watching the magic display cut apart the front line of moblins and ogres. A Morihoth in a navy blue tunic leans to the one next to him and states coolly, "And that is why the pawns go first."

The magi next to him shifts under his abyssal-black cloak, then stands and brushes at his tunic, a green nearly black. "And the knights second?"

The blue arch-Morihoth smiles under his cloak and mask. "Or sometimes," he stretches his arms, preparing for the somatic portion of powerful magic, "the bishops."

…

* * *

…

The boiling clouds flicker and a lightning bolt shoots down, but suddenly forks a third of the way down, one tendril weakly threading down into the moblins while the main stem shoots off into the troops packed onto the causeway.

Another lightning bolt streaks down, then breaks suddenly and diverts into the Dunlarians. Soldiers scream and run for cover, the power of the magic knocking some of them off the edge of the heights and into the gap below. One bolt strikes true, then another betrays its caster and lashes out randomly into the space beneath. Screams rise up as not only the lightning, but blizzards start to rise up, cutting at their own forces.

Finally, the Dunlarian magi break off, but their storms don't all calm, some continue to rage, lashing randomly one direction and then another.

Meanwhile, determined as ever, Raidon refuses to break off, pouring his energy into his lightning storm. Zelda, enhancing his magic from behind, senses the outside presence intruding, pushing into the warrior prince's storm. Weaving back and forth with a grace she might have thought never connected to magic, she pushes back, slowing the corrupting energy, staving off its attempt to rob control of her betrothed's lightning.

Unfortunately, the towers kept on coming. The one trundling for their spot not a hundred yards from the grand gates hits the base of the dark granite walls. The tower shakes, the reverberation traveling up its height until triggering a latch on the inside. Zelda sees the front side of the top start to rotate open, a toothed ramp ready to slam down on the battlements.

And Raidon is still too absorbed by his dance of the lightning storm to notice. Without a second thought, the princess surges forward, gritting her teeth against the energy crackling around her betrothed, twisting and striking into her like she was a lightning rod. She flings her arms around him, then throws herself back. Raidon gasps in the shock of his somatics being interrupted, but the biting teeth of the ramp just barely miss him as they smash down into the outermost wall of Fort Turma.

Chips of dark granite fly and dark shapes muster inside the fire-resistant scale-like covering stretched over the tower. Exhausted from the exertion of his spell, despite Zelda's help, the limp prince gasps for breath, sweat drenching him. Neither of the two are prepared for the berserkers who bellow and rush down the ramp.

The princess tightens her arms and clenches her eyes, turning to use her own plate-mail covered body to protect him. The unique sound of the magic wash emitted by a sword-spin makes her open her eyes and realize that she isn't dead.

Standing on the red-metal ramp between her and the berserk goblins stands Link, his silver shield in one hand pushing away one goblin, and what appears to be a silver version of his golden Master Sword in his other hand. Dancing like the wind in a hurricane, he moves so quickly she could swear he left after images, breaking a leather-bound shield here, bashing a goblin there, slicing another goblin.

Striking out like the lightning storm created by Raidon before him, the knight seems to finish all of the berserk goblins. He stands there, panting, then turns back to the princess, a drop of sweat threatening to run down over his eye but a wide smile on his face, as if to say (since his breath certainly wouldn't allow his tongue) 'is this _it_?'

A glint from inside betrays that it isn't, and before the knight can turn to hope to block, a giant studded club encased in iron swings down. Zelda shoots to her feet and Link sucks in a breath at what seems the phantasm of an eagle appearing around her, spreading its wings.

She lifts up and kicks off, not so much jumping as flying straight up onto the ramp and up it, her silver quarterstaff in her hands to send the ogre's club into the red metal. Moving with impossible speed, she draws back her quarterstaff and thrusts it like a spear, her aim sending the end into one of the creature's eyes.

The ogre roars and drops its club as it stumbles back, a hand raising to its eye as it bellows a deep and resonating cry of pain. A scimitar sings through the air, severing the hand at the wrist and the head at the neck, sending the great armored foe toppling heavily to the ramp, its head and hand falling off the side.

Raidon swings up his scimitar, its edge slick with ogre blood, and smiles. "You didn't think I was out of the fight yet, did you?"

The Hylians smile, but scrambling from deeper in the siege tower alert Link to the oncoming of a horde of moblins. The knight reaches to a pouch on his belt and shouts, "Get back!"

Zelda grabs Raidon's arm and pulls him back to the wall, where they both duck for cover 'under' one of the battlements. Link dives after them, and a moment later an explosion sends shards of wood and leather after him. He stands up, but the ladder is still there. The knight takes another of his bombs and lobs it, ducking back into cover at the base of the ramp as the black ceramic explodes. He stands and still the ladder remains, so he chucks in yet another bomb and crouches.

A different sound of wood blasting in the detonation indicates that the siege tower has been successfully disabled. The troops in the immediate vicinity congratulate each other with smiles and look about. The gatehouse remains strong, the trebuchets on both ends still answering to the incoming fire.

About sixty paces down the wall is the next siege tower, its ramp down but the whole thing engulfed in fire, a small team of archers occasionally shooting an arrow inside. At the next tower the Dunlarians have fallen back under the ogre's club and moblins pour onto the wall, but archers from the middle wall send a hail of death into the determined invaders.

Stopping to catch their breath, a Gorgonite swordsman dressed in the proud Dunlarian army plate mail turns to the three and raises his scimitar in triumph. He lets loose a wordless cry of victory, but the cry instantly transforms into one of shock and pain as what looks like a barbed crossbow bolt bigger than him slams through his body, sending both flying over the inner side of the wall.

Raidon pales as ropes tied to the rear of the barbed bolt tighten and start to draw back. "Ladders!"

Link whips out his longbow and nocks an arrow as he marches to the edge of the ramparts. "Not on my watch!"

Lightning flashes as he takes aim, the smoke rising from beneath setting the perfect scene for doom, but the knight doesn't flinch or falter. He releases the string and his arrow flies true, cutting one of the three ropes. Again he nocks, draws back, and lets loose another arrow. The second rope splits and the ladder shakes, but only pauses for a moment before it continues to rise. Only another few seconds remain until it passes the point of balance and will fall upon the wall.

The next arrow slides into Link's bow.

The yew groans determinedly as he pulls back.

The rope strains, the ladder swinging closer.

Groan.

Strain.

_Flit!_

The ladder, nearly perfectly vertical, stops and seems to hover there for a moment before the weight of the moblins all along its length finally pulls it back, crashing down into the seething mass below. Raidon, Zelda, and all of the nearby soldiers cheer a brief 'hurrah'.

The celebration is interrupted by the clang of another grapple bolt on the other side of the blasted siege tower.

A few of the archers try to mimic Link's stunt, but all of them lack his talent and training by the world's master archers: the Kokiri. Raidon pushes through them holding his scimitar out of the way with one hand as he thrusts out his other. A fire ball soars out, impacting the ropes near their connection to the giant steel grapple. The ropes creak and strain, but the snapping of cords within clearly hail the rope's breaking far before it happens.

Raidon slides his scimitar into its sheath and turns to give a smug smirk at Link. The knight holds up his hands in yielding and confesses, "Okay, I wish I'd thought of it."

_Clang!_

Simultaneously, another two grapples soar over the parapet on each side of the tower. Too many soldiers in between them and the closer one near the gate, Raidon makes a chopping motion and a sandman with a scimitar nods, drawing his weapon.

The three rush to the other, having to duck and rush between the parapets to evade the arrows from the enemy archers who arrived some time around the siege towers, though fortunately the crude arrows of goblins and moblins are the only missiles facing the intrepid team, instead of the deadly Morhadrin arrows.

Link and Raidon compete for the lead, and the prince pulls his advantage of being able to easily cast spells while moving, thrusting out his hand . . .

Mana sparks from it, his strength so depleted by his previous spell casting that he can't even shoot a fire ball. The attempt causes his legs to buckle and he goes down. Link, reaching for his bow, pauses to catch the prince and help him back to his feet. They start running and Raidon's feet buckle again, this time the knight isn't fast enough and both go plummeting to the causeway.

The two scramble up, but it isn't until the ladder slams against the battlements that they realize there aren't any more soldiers up there with them, and moblins are closing in on all sides. As soon as the ladder hits, a moblin berserker with a giant war axe leaps onto the causeway and bellows, spittle flying.

"Ramp!"

There is no argument from Link or Zelda, but when they turn to the nearest ramp, a swarm of moblins are already between them and their escape. Grapple after grapple now fixes on the ramparts, ladders poking up like a jagged second parapet line on the dark granite one.

The moblins near, but for some reason slow, a chortling sound of inhuman laughter passing through them at their easy catch of three elves. An ogre walks up, but instead of finishing them off, it sets its club down against the wall and grabs the ladder.

The three go chalk white at what it does next.

The great beast heaves, not casting off or moving the ladder, which has metal teeth dug into the wall's edge, but rotates it, revealing a hidden hinge in the end of the ladder that allows it to swing up, the end once on the ground below swinging up through the air until it crashes onto the middle wall, forming a wooden bridge straight across the top.

Link breaks into a sudden sprint, the Storm Scepter in one hand and the Magma Rod in the other. He blasts cones of ice and fire from them, clearing a narrow path through the moblins to the ladder.

Rather than asking the obvious by inquiring about the Hylian boy's sanity, the other two elves follow him, silver weapons flashing as they beat away the moblins who only now realize their mistake in not finishing them off when they had the chance. Link finally reaches the ladder and hops on, sprinting over the rungs as if it was solid ground, followed closely by Zelda and Raidon.

The Dunlarians guarding the middle wall realized what Link's plan was as soon as they saw the light from his Magma Rod's flame thrower, and they wait until the three are safely across before smashing down heavy war axes, cutting down the ladder and letting it plummet to the outer broadway.

Back in relative safety, Link takes a refill of arrows from a supply boy and joins the archers attempting to slow down the ingeniously equipped army. Raidon takes a bottle from his belt and wrenches the rubber stopper off before downing the entire swirling, green potion. He draws another and offers it to Zelda, who tries to refuse before realizing that they're going to need all the help they can get.

A shriek from the air and a flapping of wings alerts Link to the presence of the wyvern before it swoops down, grabbing handfuls of soldiers and dropping them in the general direction of the outer broadway. Arrows crisscross the air, some from advancing moblin archers but most from a confused disarray of Dunlarians shooting either the moblins or the wyvern.

Link tries to head towards the gatehouse for its better height, but he can already see more ladders lifting towards the middle wall. Another piercing shriek that makes him want to grab his head and curl up in a ball as the cry echoes through the atmosphere, the wyvern on its return flight to pick up more soldiers.

Drawing his Storm Scepter just like last time, he shoots a ball of ice at the flying reptilian monster, but the Morihoth riding this one is smarter than the first, he jerks the beast into a steep climb that narrowly evades the shot, then sets his mount straight towards the knight who dared attack him.

Defying the threat of the flying beast, Link puts his scepter away and draws his bow. He nocks a silver arrow and aims carefully, looking down the arrow shaft at his target. _Pinpoint precision_. Only half aware of doing so, he begins to mutter a sniper's prayer as the wyvern gets closer and closer—

_Flit!_

His arrow sails straight through the air and impacts the beast's left eye. The wyvern screeches and jerks back, nearly throwing the Morihoth from his mount, but the effect is nearly the same. Having lost its momentum, the reptile is unable to recover in time and slams into the wall, a crunch sounding from the wing that takes the brunt of the impact.

A few lights shine up from the outer broadway, but Link is distracted by a wooden ladder slamming onto the parapet ahead of him. He is shocked to see that they've already started pre-loading the ladders with goblins, and the heavier moblins are already rushing across as the goblin berserkers leap off swinging.

Reacting with an instinctive speed borne of practice in war, the knight has his shield in his right hand, using it to deliver a power blow sending a goblin over the side. His silver noble sword is in his left immediately, deflecting one goblin sword, then another, then axe, before decapitating the first goblin.

Another two leap off and close on the knight, one being taken down by a Dunlarian soldier before another two come off to engage the standard defenders, leaving four chasing down the young knight.

His blade flashes through the air, batting away their blades and sliding through their defense, taking down three before the forth manages to score a surprise hit on the Hylian's leg.

Link lashes out with anger, killing the fourth goblin berserker, but in his fury he nearly misses the moblin armed with a battleaxe until it's sailing at his neck. The young Hylian drops, then pops up with a forward thrust, sending the tip of his noble sword through the moblin's neck.

"Fall back!"

The knight is confused by the Dunlarian soldier's cry until he takes a wider look around. The ladders bridging from outer to middle wall have nearly doubled from the number he thought was there in the first place, and now they have not only goblins and moblins crossing the wooden spans . . .

Now they have Morihoth.

One heading straight for him.

Link takes a deep breath, then lashes out, using his shield and his full body weight to smash the moblin ahead of him off balance and over the parapet to the broadway below, following his attack with a quick sword-spin, downing at least two goblins. There is a thundering, deep command that emanates from the arch-Morihoth as he steps down onto the wall nearby . . .

"Leave him!"

The obedience is instantaneous, an axe halts in mid-swing and all of the nearby small fry turn away to leave him and Link to battle on the wide causeway alone.

The Morihoth steps almost delicately towards the knight, arms held loosely to the side as he nears the Hylian. "You are a most excellent swordsman. It will be my pleasure to cut you down with my blade this time." He reaches across and Link finally recognizes him as the swordsman he fought with Raidon in the meditation courtyard.

"Heh. We'll see whose blade cuts down whom." Link straightens and cricks his neck, then touches the flat of the tip of his blade to his forehead in a sort of silent benediction to the battle to come.

…

* * *

… 

Raidon rushes forward, following the mass of retreating soldiers as fast as he can with Zelda's arm gripped firmly around his shoulders. Her leg wounded by a moblin, she hobbles next to him as quickly as she can. The gate under the innermost wall is still a ways away, but they start to pass in front of the sealed gate set in the middle wall when suddenly the ground shakes.

The prince has to stop to keep his balance while still keeping his princess upright, and both's eyes snap to the ironwood gate reinforced with strips of mithril banding.

There is another chilling creaking groan from behind, and then the ironwood cracks as the world seems to tremble underneath them. Another creaking winds up from the other side of the gate and Raidon swallows when the blow sends large splinters of ironwood into the broadway. The chilling creaking starts again.

"Oh, no."

The ground nearly flies out from under his feet and he can hardly keep both himself up and his Hylian companion. Now not just chips of ironwood fall, but huge chunks as the mithril banding begins to buckle.

Creak.

Raidon adjusts his grip on Zelda's arm and starts pulling her away, getting as much distance as he can from the gate before it breaches, but too late.

The next blow sends massive slabs of ironwood and broken bands of mithril flying as a snarling dragon's head of black steel smashes through, red flames flickering from behind the cage of its great teeth, terror emanating from the dark construct of Dark World metalwork. The head seems to hover there for a moment before pulling back, and again he can hear the chilling creaking as gears rotate and cables groan, drawing in the battering ram for a final blow.

The entire blow goes straight into the gates, wood shattering and straining mithril snapping, timbers flying into the broadway. The broken fragments of the gates shake and finally swing open. The prince and princess stand to look at the horde beyond . . .

…

* * *

… 

Block.

Swing.

Deflect.

Like lightning, the two combatants clash in a frenzy of silver and black steel. Refusing to give an inch, Link comes again and again, using both his noble sword and his kite shield as weapons to combat the Morihoth swordsman. He steps back, and his boot slips on a puddle of goblin blood, falling backwards to the dark granite causeway.

Breathing heavily, the black-clad arch-Morihoth doesn't seem to care that his voluminous hood has fallen back to reveal a stained oak mask of a man's face frozen in a shout. He looks up at Link, his breath ragged. He sucks in a gasp, then shouts, "Finish it!"

Link is about to oblige, powering his sword down onto the arch-Morihoth, hyperfocus preventing him from noticing that the man didn't say 'finish _me_' until a golden shield slows, then reflects his noble sword.

The knight looks up to see a towering arch-Morihoth, but unlike every single one he's seen before, this one wears a tunic of white silk. In fact, the golden shield makes him think . . . if this Morihoth were wearing green felt . . .

"Agahnim!"

His nemesis laughs a deep and throaty cackle. "You recognized me, I'm glad." He blurs forward with inhuman speed and the young Hylian responds instinctively with a swing of his noble sword.

Though the silver protects him from the backlash of the Golden Power's shield this time, it still can't penetrate his barrier, and again the youth is thrown back on the causeway. Agahnim holds out both hands, charging the familiar orb of dark plasma, crackles of gold flickering around him just like before.

The dark, swirling negative orb shoots out faster than before and Link muscles his kite shield, its perfect silver surface successfully reflecting the magic back into the dark caster. The tiring knight is just about to groan, _I don't have time to defeat him by reflecting his magic again,_ when Agahnim pulls a strange maneuver.

Instead of throwing up a copy or trying to blur out of the way, he ducks his head down and crosses his arms over his chest. The golden shield which normally only manifested when Link's weapons neared him blazes in a bright golden aura around the sorcerer, flaring with blinding light when the ball strikes.

When it clears, Agahnim is still floating there, looking completely unharmed. The young Hylian gapes. "Oh, no way in hell!"

Another snicker emanates from the sorcerer. "I wouldn't quite say we're in hell, just very close to it." With a snapping quickness, his arms are held out and up, lightning crackling about his hands.

Link glances around. Moblins behind, parapet to one side, sharp drop to the other, more Moblins backing the sorcerer, there's nowhere to run. Yielding to the inevitability of the strike to come, the young Hylian braces behind his shield. Energy flares out, saying it was a spread of lightning wouldn't have been doing it justice. A veritable storm of tendrils lash out, filling the air.

Every one that doesn't pass by Link bounces off his silver shield.

Even Agahnim is amazed, giving the knight time to take stock of the situation. He's already tried most of his weapons unsuccessfully and his new silver sword didn't seem to fare any better, but there was one weapon that brought him down.

He slides his sword into its sheath and reaches behind to his yew bow, his other hand feeling back for another silver arrow. The special fletching tickles his fingers and the knight nocks an arrow, taking special care of his aim. If this doesn't work in the first hit, he may never have a second chance.

Agahnim holds out his hands, making small circles as a shifting mass of spheres starts to push into being between his palms.

The arrow lines up with the sorcerer's heart.

The frothing mass between Agahnim's hands takes an opalescent sheen.

The bow creaks taught . . .

The sorcerer roars as he unleashes his attack . . .

_Flit!_


	35. Wound of the Wind

The Legend of Zelda: The Warrior Prince

…

**Chapter 34: Wound of the Wind**

…

The red flames in the dragon battering ram cast a flickering, eerie light into the broadway in the deepening, starless night. A cacophony of growls, grunts, and other unsettling sounds emanates from beyond the broken wreckage of the door. An ocean of shapes, of iron blades and jagged spears advance as the battering ram rolls back.

A javelin sails at him and Raidon's leaf-blade is in his hand in a flash, knocking the projectile aside. A thundering pulse cracks the air from the top of the wall and tendrils of black, cracked and glowing with deeper-than-blood-red, shoot out into the advancing army.

The twang of bowstrings draws his attention back to the advancing mass. Raidon stands Zelda on her relatively uninjured leg, then turns to the horde, drawing his other short sword. He tenses, his eyes half-closing for a moment as the phantom image of a wolf appears around him.

The arrows sail at them and the prince steps directly between he and his betrothed, silver blades flashing in the red light as he parries the missiles. One, two, three and the fourth slips past his guard, drawing a grimace but pinging off his plate-mail. More zoom at him, tings as they bounce off his swords and lower pings when they strike his body armor.

Moblins near with their broad swords and spears and the warrior prince goes into melee mode. He clashes the charging moblins in a flurry of blades, a storm of steel and silver.

Towering, lumbering shapes prelude the arrival of ogres, but Raidon is so busy with the moblins already taller than him that he never sees them until the club hits him full-on.

"Raidon!" Zelda takes a step forward before remembering that her leg can't support any weight and falling to her knees. Determined, she sucks in a breath and fires a series of ice shards in a wide arc, but the moblins are too many and the ogres aren't even slowed.

Again and again she blasts arc after arc of shards, barely managing to keep the moblins at arm's length, but an ogre gets too close and hefts its club for a swing.

There is a glint of silver and the ogre falls to its knees and clutches its Achilles tendon.

Link stands behind it, his noble sword glistening with ogre blood. A tall, familiar presence swoops in and lightning explodes around them. Even the ogres falter under the veritable sea of energy lashing about, but Zelda knows that aura. "Agahnim!"

The Morihoth is distracted for only a moment, but it is a moment long enough for one moblin to get close enough with its broadsword to lay into the man. The sorcerer stumbles and resumes his attack remarkably quickly, but too late to stop an ogre's swing. The giant, studded, iron-encased club catches him wide across the torso, sending him flying until he slams into the third wall with a loud, sickening _thuck_.

Link falls back under the veritable flood of moblins and ogres, one of the former swings a double-headed battleax that nearly takes his arm off, his sword is barely enough to deflect it into the granite beside his feet. The moblin tugs, but the chipped axe is stuck.

The knight deflects a broadsword from a second moblin and lunges through the guard of a third. Iron comes swinging at him and Link ducks, holding back his sword to charge for a quick sword-spin. Silver blazes through the air, but clanks off a braced battle axe.

The young Hylian steps back as the moblin swings, surprised that the axeman recovered so quickly. Link burst forward, batting aside one broad sword with his shield and another with his sword, drawing his weapon back for a swing. A goblin tries a leap at the charging knight, who smashes him away with his shield and continues the charge, powering his sword down as the moblin hefts its axe up.

Silver clangs against steel and Link growls, switching tactics to raining down quick blows. Again and again the moblin blocks with its axe and Link has to divert to deflect incoming moblin broadswords or the tooth-tipped goblin swords.

The moblin axeman blocks, pushes away the knight's noble sword, and lifts its double-headed axe high. _Finally, an opening!_ Link lunges, reaching far forward to plunge the tip of his noble sword into the moblin's chest, piercing the leather. The moblin coughs black blood and the young fighter steps forward as he pulls out the sword and slashes hard, downing the moblin.

He isn't worried until the moblin falls backwards, then bounces and falls forward. An ogre stands behind it.

A fully armored ogre.

The great beast brings its club down and Link throws himself to the side shield first. The club smashes down after him, crushing the moblin behind Link. The ogre swings again in a wide arc and the Hylian drops as flat as he can, letting the blow take out half a dozen moblins.

Growling in displeasure at its miss, the ogre draws back to try again. It swings so low that the iron studs on the end of its club spark on the granite. The knight jumps with a hairsbreadth to spare, twisting and completing a full backflip as the club passes so close underneath him he can feel it tug at his purple cap.

He isn't aware that the ogre's managed to reverse its swing until after he feels the studded iron smashing into him, sending him flying at Zelda with a crunch of bone.

With the knight and Morihoth magus out of the way, the beastly army surges forward with a renewed ferocity. There is a pulse in the air and the goblin at the forefront goes flying, the toothed swords flying from its hands in surprise.

A blaze of flames roars into the horde and they falter, stepping back. The flames die down and Raidon is standing beside Link, struggling to his feet next to Zelda, his silver sword in hand. She gasps, a flashback to her earlier dream flickering through her mind.

There is a twang of goblin bows and moblins closer to the front hurl javelins. Despite her leg's immobility, she reaches back for her quarterstaff and pulls . . .

The staff sticks, black beast blood making the silver weapon slick. She regrips and pulls harder, upsetting her balance and nearly knocking herself over. Then the missiles come down and all she can do is lift her arm over her head.

Arrows _pink_ against her platemail painfully without penetrating, but one of the gnarled, black arrows comes so close it takes a few strands of golden hair.

Steel doesn't stop the javelins.

The first strike grazes her shoulder, gouging open the steel and flaying open the skin beneath. Raidon turns to see the second plunge into her chest at the base of the rib cage. Her eyes snap wide and her mouth forms a perfect 'O', but she emits no sound and drops loosely to her knees with a glassy, unfocused look in her eyes. "Zelda!" he cries, the stab through her hurting more than the throwing spears piercing his own steel.

The rest of the world seems to slow down as he sprints all-out towards her, instinctively batting aside the spears with an uncanny agility not consciously possible as he rushes to her side, his hand missing hers as she slips to the dark granite ground, blood flowing.

Raidon sheathes his leaf-blade and reaches over his shoulder, drawing his scimitar with a gleam of silver. He clenches both hands on the extended handle, lifting the scimitar for a swing. Zelda stares wide-eyed from the ground as an aura of mana flares, then swirls from Raidon's hands, spiraling up the silver blade.

Raidon draws back and opens his mouth in a wordless cry as he swings, a roar drowning out his bellow as light shining from his scimitar overpowers his outline and finally everything.

Minutes seem to pass before the roar dies down, and what seems like eternity before Zelda braves opening her squeezed-shut eyes. Raidon stands there, sword held ahead of him, breathing heavily.

Shallow gouges radiate through the dark gray granite, starting a pace from Raidon and shooting under the yawning gateway. The dragon's head battering ram hangs from a tattered wood and metal wheeled gantry. It looks like a giant has raked a clawed hand over the black steel dragon heard. The gouges stretch from Raidon, over the dragon head, and all the way to the inner side of the wall on the other side of the broadway.

More than that, the horde of goblins, moblins, ogres, and other beasts is gone. Raidon stands there, breathing heavily, eyes wide with shock. A couple of stragglers from the broadway beyond rush under the gate and the prince rushes ahead, peripherally aware of the clacking footsteps of Dunlarian heavy infantry behind him as he rushes into the fray.

Moblins and the few goblins left fall under the attack, but a terror keeps them driving forward, and when Raidon reaches the outer gate, he finds out why. A veritable wall of great reptilians stampedes over and through the remainders of the beast army.

A cheer raises up from the fortress, a reverberating cry of victory. Though the battle isn't over, every elf there knows it is finally won.

…

* * *

… 

Great thanks to my latest reviewer, Ri2. I'd gotten sidetracked by other projects when I got the email for your review. Thanks for the reminder! I'm progressing quickly through the story, it's in the home stretch. Progress can be found in my profile. Review and updates will be sped up, I guarantee it!


	36. Parting Clouds

The Legend of Zelda: The Warrior Prince

…

**Chapter 35: Parting Clouds**

…

The royal cavalry, pride of the empire, roam over the plains stretching out beyond Fort Turma. From the citadel to the gentle hills sweep teams of dwarf and elf soldiers working closely if suspiciously with black-clad Morihoth, who joined the battle against Ganon's forces after being freed by Link. Thick, black smoke rises from the siege machines, broken and isolated by the cavalry charge that morning.

Now the three fighters who stood up to Ganon's army, and the forth who joined them near the end of the battle make their way to the fortress hospital. A guard captain holds prince Raidon's arm over his shoulder, the exhausted teen warrior light-headed from loss of blood and only partially conscious.

Two tall soldiers heft Link between them, keeping his broken legs off the ground. Behind him on a stiff stretcher lies Agahnim, broken ribs and more from the ogre's strike. Following is Zelda, limping along with a soldier supporting her wounded left side, a soaked bandage stopping a hole in her chest plate.

A green, amorphous shape swirls into a glowing bauble which hovers from person to person, listening intently, but the four are silent and the only conversation is jovial retelling from the victors.

They arrive in the citadel hospital and are quickly sent to separate rooms in one wing. Zelda is led to a tiny room cramped with four beds, three already occupied by sleeping wounded. The soldier who led her in seats her at the empty bed and departs, stepping around an incoming old woman.

The elderly peasant helps remove the princess's damaged armor, cleans and redresses the wounds, then helps the Hylian into a cloud-gray Dunlarian tunic. The woman collects the dirty bandages and departs, leaving an empty silence that quickly draws the young princess into a deep sleep.

She wakes into a darkness lit only by starlight streaming in through the narrow, pointed-arch windows. A green light passes by one of the windows and Zelda sits up. "What?"

A sprite flies in through the glassless window, excitedly asking, "You're awake, princess?" The princess neglects to point out the obvious, and the mana sprite continues without noticing. "I've been flying back and forth between the six of you, but even if he was awake, he doesn't talk openly."

Knowing that Ruth is referring to the warrior prince, Zelda comes to his defense. "Well, you have to keep in mind he grew up in a different world. He carries all the responsibilities of a prince, general, magi, diplomat—" The sprite huffs and the young Hylian sends the glowing green sphere a warning glance. "And he does try to fulfill all of those, but . . . he's still just a boy. Hell, look at me. I'm sixteen, I'm just a girl, and here we all are fighting the forces of evil."

Ruth chuckles lightly, her green, whispy form glowing merrily. "Just a boy . . . that's something I'd almost lost thought of. He's so stressed all the time, and sometimes I forget that you elves age. If he'd stop trying to take every evil in the world on his shoulders, and maybe stop trying to push everyone else away . . ."

Zelda takes in a breath, not quite a laugh, and sits on the edge of the low bed, setting her chin in her hand. "It took a while before he started to open up in his letters, and at least he admits he does it. He's not used to accepting help; probably never had many opportunities." She looks up. "How is he?"

Ruth hesitates a moment, making sure to answer this question carefully. "Well, he's got mana fever from overexertion in the battle, but I think he'll pull through. What worries me are the things he won't talk about."

Zelda sighs. "He did write that Dunlarians are raised not to show weakness. Still, trying to hold up a mask that broad all the time . . . it's enough to kill a man."

Silence stretches for a number of seconds before Ruth responds in a quiet whisper, "I think it is." A pregnant pause follows before the mana sprite decides to explain herself a little. "I know I've only known him for a few days at the most, but in order for me to exist outside the forest without spending all my time in a magic lamp like Navi, the Deku Tree bonded me on a deep level to the prince. I have an empathic bond with him, and all the time I sense pain in him. He's a good person, I _know_ it, but there's a few things he's hiding from, only one of them being the death of the man who raised him, Jenhan."

The princess glances at the sprite, floating in a morose green swirl, then looks back down at the ground. "He's only hinted at some of those for me. His father never acknowledged him, his brother only scorned him. Mostly I think he's lonely."

"Lonely," the sprite repeats, voicing the word as she ponders on it. "At least. He feels he's never allowed to be sick, to be hurt. He's never found someone he can safely show any weakness."

The green swirl hesitates and collects herself into a ball, and somehow Zelda recognizes it as a gesture that in a man would have been an apologetic shrug. "Though he is concerned about you. I was trying to figure him out while we were in the desert, and I implied that he didn't care about you. He was furious, I thought he was going to scream himself hoarse." She decides not to mention that he threw a lightning bolt at her.

The Hylian hunches forward a little before a sharp pain rips through her torso and she snaps upright again, sucking in a painful breath as a hand shoots to the wound near her heart, less than an inch from its mark. She knows the bandages are soaked in an elixir, but the pain hasn't vanished yet.

"Well," Ruth asks hesitantly. "How are you?"

Zelda tilts her head back and looks out the window for a few moments, forcing her hand back down to the rough, crude mattress. "I was just thinking about the things I had that Raidon hasn't. I don't have any siblings to fight with, father told me how proud he was of me after Link wished him back, and when he came to rescue me, Link knew how afraid I was but never jested . . ."

The mana sprite flickers in a manner like a smile. "So you're lonely too."

The princess smiles awkwardly and feels a blush creep into her cheeks in the dark night. Though she never said it, she doesn't argue with Ruth because . . . well . . . "I'm not naïve. I'm a princess, I knew I was going to be wedded off to someone eventually. I admit, I was nervous about it until I started getting letters from him."

The sprite flickers and swirls, compressing and stretching into a fair imitation of a spiral galaxy. "Navi's calling. She says Agahnim's awake and talking to a few Morihoth who just arrived."

The young Hylian blinks, slightly confused. "Navi . . . she's not with Link?"

"Sir Link wanted her to keep an eye on Agahnim, so he hid her in the room. Do you have a lamp? I could relay the conversation."

Zelda sits there in indecision for a minute. "No, I'm sure Navi will tell us if something important comes up. Besides, there isn't a lamp anywhere nearby." She looks up at the sprite as she returns to a swirling sphere. "How's Link?"

Ruth giggles. "Oh, that pretty boy is fine. I don't know how he did it, but he came out with barely a scratch besides his legs, and those're healed by now." She swirls gently through the air, then asks, "When did you first meet sir Link?"

The princess's gaze drops to her hands as she fidgets with her fingers. "Well . . . I saw him peripherally in the castle a few times while he was a squire, but those don't really count. I think the first time I really saw him was when he rescued me from the dungeons, from Agahnim on the night of that storm."

The nervous energy with which she twists her hands intensifies as she can almost feel the bars under her fingers as she recounts the event. "I remember that moment so vividly. I was being guarded by Nanisen and he had his favorite Morningstar. I was sitting in that tiny, solitary cell under his blank gaze, waiting to be sacrificed. I was thinking: 'is this it? Has my whole life come to this? Locked in a madman's prison, waiting for his dark designs? Would he make it quick, or would he parade me around like a trophy, the last of Hylian royalty, a princess who couldn't do a single thing to stop an evil sorcerer?'"

Zelda takes in a breath to try to calm herself and grips the rough yet comfortable fabric of the Dunlarian tunic. "I was reading the last – latest letter from Raidon, and suddenly Link was there, knight's sword shining like a legion of angels, moving like the wind . . ."

The princess's relief echoes in her voice, her eyes even growing slightly misty. Ruth watches with a smirk. _Raidon's going to be jealous_.

The Hylian giggles and continues. "But he wouldn't use the edge and the flat of the blade couldn't get through Nanisen's armor, so he threw a box and knocked him out. Then he led me out through a secret passage through the sewers—"

"Eew!"

Zelda smiles again at the sprite and corrects, "No, not the sanitary sewers, the waste water sewers, it was clean." Relatively speaking. There were still rats and vermin there that made the squeamish princess act like a frightened peasant.

"So then what happened?" inquired the eager sprite.

The Hylian chuckles. "I didn't expect to be giving the whole story. I hid in the Sanctuary of Light in Hyrule City for a few days, took some time to exercise Light Magic. Unfortunately, I still wasn't very strong and couldn't hold off the soldiers when they finally found me, or stop Agahnim when he used dark magic to put me to sleep. Next thing I knew, I woke up in a crystal in a huge cave room and Link had the tempered Master Sword in his hand. I helped break open the barrier on Ganon's tower, and just a few hours later I was back in Hyrule castle with father sitting on the throne."

Ruth contemplates aloud, "I wonder how long sir Link's story would be."

"A legend all it's own, I'm sure," the princess states absently. "I've overheard bits from the royal knights about all the struggles he went through to save Hyrule from Agahnim—Ganon!" she corrects, remembering that Agahnim was but a pawn and now one on their side. The warm wind blows outside and Zelda yawns, her eyelids heavy.

Ruth swirls in her manner of smiling and softly states "I'll let you get your sleep."

The young elf looks ready to argue when another yawn struggles through, when she decides to take the hint from her body and lie down.

The mana sprite flies out of the window and decides to check back on Raidon, despite the fact that she senses that he's still asleep. Pointed window after pointed window passes, then over a wall, when sparks draw her attention. She dips down in time to watch Link knock out a Dunlarian soldier.

The Hylian knight is locked in furious combat with now two of his imperial equals. He swings, knocking away an incoming long sword before jumping to one side and kicking off the wall, vaulting high over the other soldier, delivering a strong swing with the flat of the silver Master Sword. He lands and drops into a low crouch to let the other Dunlarian's sword cut through the air above him.

He pops back up, delivering a kick behind as he deflects a follow-up swing in front, answering with a slash of his own. That soldier goes down and Link twists, blocking the firsts's sword, swinging back to block a sloppy slash. The knight pivots on the ball of his foot, batting away another blow before easily slipping past the soldiers' guard and giving a sharp rap with the flat of his blade, right across the temple.

The soldier drops to his knees and sits there, cross-eyed for a minute before chuckling and reaching up to Link. The other Dunlarians watching cheer the spectacular fight and the last one in the ring smiles. The Hylian sheathes his sword and helps the dizzy soldier to his feet, giving his adversaries a courtesy nod before acknowledging the magical familiar. "You're Raidon's mana sprite…Ruth."

Ruth is about to quip that he should know her name by now when she receives a message from Navi, _Agahnim's sent a messenger for Link_ . Before she has the chance to say anything, one of the black-clad pawn Morihoth steps out into the courtyard, wary of the greater numbers of Dunlarians around him.

He straightens and keeps his voice even as he states, "Sir Link, Lord Agahnim needs to see you."

The young Hylian takes a second to consider, then glances up at Ruth and back to the Morihoth shrouded in black clothing from head to toe. The knight takes his hand from his sword hilt, then begins walking forward. Taking this as the cue that he has accepted, the pawn Morihoth spins on his heel and leads the knight through the narrow hallways carved through the stone to the small, single room for Agahnim.

As the red-garbed young elf steps through the door, the once dark wizard sends away the arch-Morihoth. The tall figures' bodies seem to float more than walk over the dark granite, their voluminous hoods giving them each resemblance to the reaper of the damned. The bedridden sorcerer lifts his head and greets him coolly. "Link, I hear you've been knighted. I suppose I should congratulate you."

The Hylian crosses his arms to help resist the temptation to rest his hand on his sword's pommel. "Shall we cut straight to the chase?"

Agahnim sniffs in a manner that Link can't be sure isn't a laugh. "The fight today broke Ganon's main army in the Light World. However, he still holds the Power of Gold, he still has a number of plots in motion."

The knight steps casually closer to the low bed. "You want I should applaud? You show up out of no-where, I shoot you with a silver arrow, then suddenly cracked black tendrils are everywhere, then you Morihoth are pretending to fight with us." He leans closer, his eyes hard and focused. "I think it's time you started talking."

"My sentiment precisely, which is why I've summoned you. I'm going to have to go back a ways, so please bear with me."

"We'll see."

Agahnim pauses for a moment, his face briefly tensing in aggravation in the darkness. "I was a prodigious magi not much older than you back when the then Dragmire Empire sent me to investigate a rumor of a land beyond the Desert of White Bones, but we thought everything east had been destroyed."

He sighs, and for a moment that surprises the knight, there is a forlorn look on his face before the wizard returns to his tale. "As happened to most other expeditions, the desert wiped us out. I was wandering, dying, lost in a sandstorm, when I stumbled into a forest. I believed I was hallucinating, then came a whirl of blue, and the next thing I knew, I was in the Shadow Sphere."

_So he's from Dunlar too. But if he's from back when they called it 'Dragmire', how old is he?_ Link opens his mouth to question, then decides to be patient and lets Agahnim continue.

Agahnim's eyes narrow, as if he is forced to but unwilling to speak the next few words. "Lord Ganon saved me from certain death. When more like me came, he even made me captain of the Brotherhood. On a few occasions, he granted me direct access to the Golden Power." The sorcerer's eyes fall, casting off to the side, and for a moment he looks like just an old, weakened man. "I never realized until too late that he was tying his puppet master's strings. For a time, I despaired and thought I would forever dance to his whims, but then my daughter was born . . ."

In the recollection, the fire returns to his eyes, "I had to defeat Ganon. I had to defeat the Golden Power."

Link crosses his arms, skeptical. "I thought the 'Power of Gold' was a mystical artifact hidden by God."

The sorcerer snaps back without missing a beat, "And some think it was created by primordial dwarves, but its origins are moot. It exists. It's powerful, and it draws the worst out of each man's heart. Even Lord Ganon was a considerate fiefdom king before he claimed the Golden Power."

The knight remains dubious, but there are undeniable truths in what the old man is saying. Even if the legends have changed, they were still built from the facts. "I thought the legend said, 'if a pure-hearted—'"

"Name one."

Link opens his mouth, but modesty forbids him from naming himself. He prevents his gaze from drifting as he thinks, and though there are plenty of _good_ people that come to mind, not one is absolutely pure. Even the best-cut diamond has a dark facet.

Agahnim sighs, and the Hylian senses a deep weariness from the man who must truly be old beyond years. "Link, one of the things you need to realize is that though every legend grew from the seed of truth, all of them deviate from it. The Golden Power is nearly omnipotent, and dangerous beyond measure. It was found once and a powerful curse placed on it that any who sought to take the power for themselves would be destroyed before that could happen.

"Unfortunately, the Golden Power is cunning. When Ganondorf Dragmire – back when he was a fiefdom king – set out for the power during the War of the Golden Power, he wasn't trying to claim it. He was trying to destroy it to protect his fiefdom. But its beguiling voice ensnared him. Legends say that when he and his band found it, they fought themselves, and they progressively killed each other to protect each other from it until only he remained, when there was nobody to protect _him_ from _it_."

Link sits down at the foot of the bed, a strange weight pressing down on him. Though the wizard may have once been a nemesis, he spent his life studying the Triforce and every syllable he spoke rang of truth, like a man at his deathbed trying to atone for his life. The knight ran his sweaty palms over his trousers as he remarked, "It sounds more like you're talking about the legend of the Ankarin Edge."

Now the sorcerer looks lost. "Ankarin Edge? I've never heard of that in my studies."

"It's a tale of an evil sword that consumed souls. It was thought that anybody killed by the blade had their very souls stolen by the evil metal, but in truth it consumed the spirit of the people who wielded it, and it had a very cunning voice with which it whispered."

Agahnim nods, his face pensive. "Must be a Hylian story that rose after the split, but it sounds very much like the truth I have found of the Golden Power." He levers himself up on his elbows, clenching his teeth in pain. "So do you now understand? The power can not be allowed to rest in the wrong person's hands. An ancient curse is stirring, we have to go to the Green Palace, and warrior prince Raidon is the only one who can let us in."

Still numbed by the magnitude of the things the ancient magus has revealed, Link can only nod. "We may not be ready yet. We'll have more action to deal with in the Dark World, I'll bet sooner rather than later."

"That I can help you with," Agahnim points. "The Brotherhood holds your Moon Pearl, and I think I know how to enhance your Magic Mirror to allow you more fluid teleporting between the planes. But as soon as that is done, we must be off to the Imperial Palace."


	37. Unwitting Traitor

The Legend of Zelda: The Warrior Prince

…

**Chapter 36: Unwitting Traitor**

…

Link cinches his belt just a little tighter and smooths out the enchanted chain-mail covered by a fine layer of red fabric. He remembers what seems like ages ago when his favorite clothing was a green wool tunic, but armor is much more comfortable than cloth against blades. He's just about to ram his feet into his Pegasus Boots when an excited Dunlarian dwarf bursts through the door.

"Sir Link! Oh, I'm so glad I found you before you departed!"

"What is it?" the knight asks, eyeing a paper package the dwarf is waving around.

Slightly out of breath from running, the dwarf notices where the Hylian's eyes focus and he beams. "Sir Link, this is a gift from the Kai Dwarves on behalf of us for your heroism at this fortress last night, and the day preceding."

Curious, the knight takes the paper-wrapped package, noting that it seems rather light. He opens the folded parcel and is surprised to find a gray, scaly pair of boots inside. Faintly like his Pegasus Boots, a wing is patterned into the sides, but this wing resembles the broad, powerful wings like a dragon and the pattern continues along the side of the sole, like claws stretching from the wings.

"This treasure was hand-crafted by the most skilled hands in the empire, made of the highest quality wyvern pelt. They will aid even the lamest to become fleet of foot, and hold some of the powers of the wyvern." The dwarf beams again and Link resumes his examination.

The scales are remarkably fine and he has to confess that the quality of craftsmanship is something he rarely even sees on the Royal Knights of Hyrule. The sole is unusual, instead of the ribbed, rugged leather like on the bottom of the Pegasus Boots, this looks almost like it is set with teeth, it feels hard and rubbery. Knowing that he can always go back to his older boots, he decides to slip into the new boots.

They go on much more easily than any leather boots he's worn before, and they seem to wrap tightly yet comfortably around his feet like a third sock. The rough, tiny gray scales on the outside feel cool against his hands, and just like his Pegasus Boots he has a curious feeling of weight being taken away from his body. Link looks up at the dwarf with a twinkle in his eye. "You had these made specifically for me, didn't you?"

The dwarf averts his eyes and blushes in modesty as only a dwarf whose craftsmanship is being praised can. "Well, we may have happened to come across just the right dimensions, sir. Do you like them?"

The knight slides his silver kite shield across his back and with that last piece of equipment set, he stands, immediately suppressing a pleased groan. _How I wish I had these on guard duty when I was a squire. I could stand for _hours_ in these things_. "I'm sure I'll get a lot of good use out of them." He suddenly straightens, realizing that this being a Kai dwarf . . . "Could you do something for me?"

The dwarf bows low. "For the knight who slew the revived dragon lord Arimas, anything."

"While I was fighting him, he knocked away my golden noble sword. If you could find that, I would be extremely grateful."

The dwarf, just coming back up, bows again. "Nothing would be too much for you, good sir." With that, the dwarf stands back up and hurries out of the room at a not-quite-scramble speed. Link smiles and sets his purple chain-mail cap on his head, then heads out to join the others and the dwarf he sent to get the fairy lamp from Agahnim's room.

…

* * *

… 

Princess Zelda, Prince Raidon, and Agahnim stand under the yawning gateway leading out of Fort Turma, a handful of Morihoth and Dunlarians with them. Link notes that Agahnim is wearing his white silk and green felt robes, looking every bit the magus he once was. Raidon doesn't appear any different, just a light-brown tunic over his elegant steel armor. Princess Zelda stands in the shade, a new Dunlarian silk dress over what he can immediately tell is different armor, even without a reflecting sheen it looks closer to turquoise than any steel would.

Link bows deferentially as he nears her. "My lady. I see that you've acquired some new armor?"

Zelda nods nonchalantly. "Raidon sent out an order to the nearest armory and had some mithril armor brought to replace my steel, since mine is still being repaired. I actually rather like it, the steel wasn't ungainly but this feels light as a feather and they tell me it's strong enough to break iron spears before taking a scratch."

A voice from within the fort calls, "My lord!" Raidon nods to the others and jogs back inwards.

Link takes advantage of the prince's temporary absence to lean closer to the small group. "Where's Dimitri?"

"Shhh!" one of the Dunlarians motions for him to hush, fearing that the warrior prince might hear despite the distance and distraction. "His royal steed spent the battle engaging one of the wyverns you shot down, but the dodongo, well . . . he may not live to see the next sunrise. We've been trying to keep the prince busy so he won't be distracted, you _must not_ tell him."

Link nods in understanding and not a moment too soon. Raidon jogs up, swords bouncing against his sides. "Well? I believe we have an appointment with the Green Palace."

…

* * *

… 

The proconsul to the emperor clasps his hands behind his back as he watches Agahnim step into the poorly-lit room. "Vanis bites are especially deadly because with their venom they also inject a lethal bacteria that incubates over a few days."

The magus snatches at the small, yellow vial and snarls, "You bastard, Marcus."

The chief imperial advisor turns the vial containing a treatment in his hand and smirks. "You don't get the cure for the bacteria until emperor Thesalon is dead. After that, we can work on Naku's . . . offer." The smug smile spreads and it takes every ounce of self-control not to fill him with dark plasma right there and then. "I know you won't disappoint . . . wizard of the Golden Land."

He holds up the vial and Agahnim rips it from the haughty man's fingers. _Sarah, you'll never have to know how close you came to dying_.

…

* * *

… 

Raidon closes a door and nods in acknowledgement of two soldiers standing guard as they bow to him. The elves remain standing at rapt attention and the prince starts to pace around the dais. He lifts one hand in a dismissive gesture, "It's all right, you two can make your rounds. I need to adjust the device."

Both hesitate, but the prince's stride slows minutely and a venomous, impatient glare sends them scurrying. Raidon reaches the other side of the dais and makes a sharp turn for the control device as the guards disappear through the door.

Back at Fort Turma, the silver-tongued Agahnim summoned Raidon and impressed on him the danger facing his people. A series of events had already begun that could destroy the empire, he was the only one who could save the empire. It would be such a grand gesture. If his father was still lucid he wouldn't help but praise him. It would even impress the foreign princess . . .

Raidon sets his jaw, dragging his mind back to the present. _It's time to do this_.

The device controls an independent shield that seals off the Green Palace, shutting it down would only require turning the large stone, gear-toothed ring a few inches from the top. Three similar metal rings extend around the top for precise adjustment.

The young warrior doesn't know how to use those, so he grips the heavier stone ring fourth from the top and gives it the requisite quarter turn left. The semi-transparent dome atop the control pedestal, a magic projection representing the shield, folds inwards and disappears.

Then he hears fire and shouting . . .


	38. Knife in the Heart

The Legend of Zelda: The Warrior Prince

…

**Chapter 37: Knife in the Heart**

…

The flicker of red and yellow from fires in the rooms casts a gloomy light into what should be grand halls, only added to by the red light of the setting sun. Lost in the gargantuan maze of dark granite, the Hylian princess follows her betrothed through the twists and turns, her senses alert for additional attacks after the two already fought through three arch-Morihoth.

The prince ahead of her has no such wide awareness. He runs ceacelessly ahead, not even slowing to glance into the side chambers or passages as he speeds to the depths of the imperial chambers.

He races left through a four-way intersection and almost collides with another figure running straight through. His swords are in his hands instinctively and he narrowly stops himself before crashing against the silver weaponry of his opponent. He recognizes the entrant and immediately continues on, ignoring Agahnim as he follows behind the knight.

Link sheathes his sword and breaks into a run to catch up, looking to Zelda for answers. "What's with Raidon?"

"He's still looking for his father. He wasn't in the royal bedchambers, so the last place is the Imperial Throne."

Link's expression deadsets. "Then we _must_ make haste, I doubt we have time to spare."

The cold, sudden determination on the knight sends shivers down Zelda's spine and she pours a little more speed to keep up with the hyper-focused warrior leading them. Raidon rounds another corner to a wider hall, letting his feet slide like a skier on the snow slope as he turns to the grander passage.

Straight down the corridor stands a massive set of double doors. The warrior prince sprints full-tilt, gaining wide distance despite the effort of his companions, and bursts through the doors. "Father!"

A wide series of humbling steps lead up to a cherry-wood throne adorned in gold, seat of the Emperor, but now all eyes are drawn to the crimson liquid streaming down the steps. Lying crumpled at the base of the throne in a puddle of his blood is the decrepit body Raidon had been searching for.

"Father!" he bellows as he shoots over the polished granite floor, not noticing the sickening 'splash splash' as his feet plunge through the rivers of blood. Stopping with a slight skid, he drops to his knees and takes the fragile remains of his geriatric father in his arms with surprising gentleness. Long, white hair blotted with red spills over his arm and the prince's throat tightens. He manages to croak out, fighting down a wimper, "Father?"

There is a gurgling gasp and the white of his eyes, stricken with cataracts, crack open. The prince almost sobs with relief as he tests, "Father?"

The white orbs flick randomly out a few times, then settle to stare blankly out. There is a more determined gurgling gasp as he tries to inhale and finally croaks, "Wh…where is my…son?"

The royal teen tenderly adjusts his hold on the dying man, trembling himself as he responds, "Here I am."

The decrepit, mortally wounded man drags in another painful breath and rattles, "S…s…son?"

A smile flickers over the prince's tense visage and he cradles his father closer, his voice cracks as he responds, "It's me, father. I'm here."

The aged, broken man quivers, struggling to draw in but one more breath, but finally the corners of his mouth turn up and he fights to lift his hand to Raidon's face. "My…son…?"

Raidon smiles, his heart rams into his throat, hope bursting inside—

"…Naku?"

Raidon's smile shatters like a crystal vase on pavement, his eyes become glassy and unfocused, everything absolutely blank. His previously strong but gentle hold unfurls and his cold father slides back to the floor.

Zelda bursts forward and catches Raidon before he can collapse to the granite, pulling him close. A beat passes and she holds him as the floodgates of a lifetime's tears burst.

Link remains a pace from the doors, and his sensitive ears hear the faint sound of a hinge's creak. His silver noble sword is in his hand in an instant, the tip pressing threateningly into the throat of the sorcerer Agahnim, the blade between him and the door.


	39. Brother

The Legend of Zelda: The Warrior Prince

…

**Chapter 38: Brother**

…

The young Hylian strains not to decapitate the sorcerer before him, keeping his voice deathly even as he states, "I'd just as soon separate your head from your shoulders, but I think those two deserve an explanation." He finishes with his eyes still set on the wizard, Raidon still anguishing in Zelda's embrace.

Agahnim, with deliberate movement, slowly closes the door and takes one step away from it. Though he knows the knight is ready and willing to slice through him, the sorcerer remains outwardly calm. "Naku was impatient waiting for his senile father to abdicate, so he promised me the Golden Power and freedom from Ganon if I killed the emperor. I wasn't really going to agree until Markus used a Vanis snake on my daughter, when he added that my cooperation would buy the cure."

Link lowers his sword a little, but keeps a strong grip on it to be ready to make any necessary sudden movements. He can certainly believe that advisor slime would pull something like that. "How is he involved in Morihoth attacks? I know he has some hand in your strikes on Hyrule."

Agahnim places his hand on the door and looks down, as if drawing strength and support from the solid wood surface. "That was part of the cooperation he demanded. Markus hates Hyrule, he didn't want an alliance until 'they felt the torch of Dunlar'. He called nearly every strike."

The Hylian notes that Agahnim said 'called' instead of 'led', but another question rises to the forefront. "Nearly?"

The wizard old beyond his apparent years sighs. "My daughter Sarah doesn't care about Hyrule, but she jealously hates princess Zelda."

"Why?" The knight's curiosity piqued, he doesn't even notice that he lowers his sword more.

"She is in love with Raidon, but was betrothed to the elder brother." Link's eyebrow raises in confusion, so Agahnim explains, "Dunlar's dodongos were wiped out from plague, we had too many around the Obsidian Palace, so their marriage was arranged to seal the peace so we could trade. Shortly after, she discovered Raidon and Dunlar discovered Hyrule, the Warrior Prince was betrothed to Zelda. Ever since she first saw him, Sarah wanted him." A bittersweet smile comes onto Agahnim's face and he lifts his head. "I'm surprised she left Naku alive. As long as he breathes, she can't have Raidon."

Link lowers his sword down from a battle-ready position, keeping his grip on it but letting it drift to his side. "So . . . Naku is the one who started all of this?"

"Yes, though I have no doubt that Markus would have done it anyway, he ended up pulling everything together. He is a cunning man." Agahnim lets his eyes flicker to the suffering prince before re-centering on the door. "And he hates Raidon. It was he who placed the inhibitor bracer on the prince, and called that first attack with the intention of killing him with the king and princess."

"So what's his problem with Raidon?"

Agahnim now lowers his hand and turns to the knight. "He's more popular than Naku, and he hates anything that threatens his liege." He closes his eyes and breathes deeply. "And I'm back to square one, stilly trying to free myself from Lord Ganon's control. As long as he holds the Golden Power, he still controls us."

A loud 'bam' punches through the room and the latched doors on one side of the room shakes, drawing a surprised start from Agahnim. "And they're who I was running from."

Another bang and quiver of the doors comes and Link's sword is back up in a battle-ready position. "Who's that?"

The sorcerer reaches for the close doors and Link makes a chop, forcing him to snatch his hands away. Clearly agitated, the older man answers, "The palace guard. They'll think that anybody here was involved in the murder."

Raidon's voice carries through the polished granite room, bringing a surprise to the two at the door as the young Dunlarian states quite matter-of-factly, "I am a prince of the realm, I'll suffer no such foolishness."

Agahnim looks to the standing prince and princess before snapping, "Do you think that they'll believe 'Naku and Markus did it'?"

Another bang echoes and the latch gives way. Royal Dunlarian guards pour into the room, immediately sighting the dead emperor, and the blood-covered prince and princess in Dunlarian garb standing over him. The leader just stands there aghast for a minute before shouting, "Murderers! Traitors to the throne!"

"What?" a completely disbelieving prince squeaks.

Those guards not already with weapons in their hands draw their choice instruments and begin running at the royal two. A pulse shoots through the air and knocks the leader flying, giving the others just enough pause for Agahnim to command, "Go on ahead! I'll hold them off!"

Raidon and Zelda hesitates before Link dashes up the steps, grabs the prince, and forcefully starts pulling him towards the nearest door while the sorcerer engages the royal guard of Dunlar.


	40. Price to Pay

The Legend of Zelda: The Warrior Prince

…

**Chapter 39: Price to Pay**

…

Raidon turns another corner and the last sounds of Agahnim's battle vanish. Unfortunately, only a moment later comes the clinking sound of armored footsteps of more guards coming from a hallway ahead. Reacting quickly, the prince ducks into a closed room he was about to pass, the princess and knight following and closing the door behind.

The impressive room beyond the door is an empty guest bedroom, or at least it should be empty. Link is the first one to make eye contact with a familiar and very unwanted presence, "Markus!"

The warrior prince freezes, then slowly turns around to the treasonous proconsul, a smoldering fire in his eyes. His tone is icy. "I didn't see you out protecting the emperor. What happened to your oath of loyalty?"

Markus crosses his arms self-righteously and doesn't give the prince the respect of returning eye contact. "My oath is to the throne, the seat is more than the man." His lips draw into a sneer. "You aren't blind, you saw what he was doing to the empire. With each passing year, that senile man grew more brashly impulsive, more stupidly stubborn. He probably didn't even know what he was doing when he arranged your marriage to that foreign devil."

Both Raidon and Zelda bristle, and the warrior draws his Moon Dagger. "You duped my brother into this . . ." The high advisor is about to object and the prince cuts him off with a bark, then resumes the charges with ever rising tone, "You betrayed my father to murder, you set _me_ up, you made designs against our hope Hyrule and _my betrothed_." The glare the youth sends would have frozen Goron Mountain. "It's time to pay the price."

The knight unsheathes his sword and Raidon snaps out arm to stop him. "No, Link. This is between Dunlarians."

Markus' pompous look doesn't fade in the slightest as he answers, lowering into a battle-ready crouch, "At least you've remembered _that_ shred of honor, you _mistake_."

Raidon springs forward, a wild look in his eyes, dagger held out. The proconsul waits until just the right moment to direct a kick into the prince's chest, sending him just off enough that his slice comes shy of striking. The prince backflips to get some room.

The warrior's feet are hardly on the floor when Markus flings a ball of fire at him. Raidon bursts to the side and replies with one of his own. The triadic counters with a ball of ice, the two spells canceling each other out and giving him time to start charging a bolt of lightning.

He unleashes it and is completely surprised when the teen counters with a bolt of his own, the two colliding with a flare in midair. The sneer fades from the elder's face, to be replaced by a determined look of fury. He puts both hands forward and blasts lightning. The flare brightens and he thinks he's won when the bolt strikes the wall and the Hylians dive to the sides.

He doesn't realize the mistake until a fraction of a second later when Raidon leaps up from his low crawl, tearing upwards into the treasonous advisor with his dagger. Markus roars and backpedals, ceasing his lightning attack to telekinetically throw the prince into a dresser, denting the steel furniture.

The teen hits the ground and rolls to the side, springing up in time to counter the triadic's ice torrent with a flame thrower. The two push, but neither gains any ground and both let up at about the same time. Markus has a simple displeased look on his face, but his glance to one side betrays a new plan.

Raidon rushes ahead, dagger held ready to stab down into the man who had his father murdered, but a flying chair grabs his attention an instant too late for him to react, striking with a clang of metal on bone.

The seat not large enough to stop the prince, Markus lifts his hands and two steel sets of drawers lift up, trundling through the air for a moment before likewise flinging at the teen. Raidon stands straight and closes his eyes.

Zelda cries out and tries to dash at him, but Link grabs her by the arm and holds her back. A moment before the heavy steel furniture strikes, the semitransparent sphere of his mana shell springs into life around the prince, shuddering but holding from the impact of one, than the other projectile.

The Dunlarian youth opens his eyes, energy crackling around him. Markus reaches out, telekinetically grasping another and another object to throw at the prince, but nothing breaks through, and the warrior seems to grow bored, because he slowly starts to pace forward at his enemy.

The blue shell shudders again and again and Markus grows increasingly desperate, but nothing works. The elder finally ceases his fruitless telekinetics and throws one hand forward to blast another lightning bolt into the prince. Like everything else, it strikes the shell and causes it to shudder for a moment.

The youth lifts his hand and blinks. The shell falls inwards and from his raised hand springs a lightning bolt of his own. The elder gasps and diverts his other hand, but the younger does the same and continues to step steadily closer. Markus grimaces and snaps, "You can't hold this up forever! My magic is the stronger!"

Raidon hardly expresses acknowledgement of hearing the threat, even though he speaks, "What good is a stronger sword if you don't know how to use it? The fighter who has more weapons will win the fight."

Abruptly, he breaks off his lightning and there is the brief phantasm of a giant wolf around the prince before he moves with a blurring speed rivaling Link, sliding just out of the way of Markus' bolt. Markus adjusts, but too late. Raidon strikes his side, Moon Dagger biting deep.

The elder whips around and blasts a stream of fire, but the prince is already behind him, swinging his dagger again. The triadic kicks backwards and shoots an arc of ice shards where the younger fighter was, but the enchanted boy has already moved, striking out with his dagger again.

Markus roars and reaches out with his hand, making a pulling motion. This time Raidon is caught by surprise when a steel dresser smashes into him, knocking him over and quite nearly crushing him before he manages to slip mostly out from under it. Markus raises his hands to blast another spell at the prince, but the warrior powers up and thrusts his dagger, plunging all eight inches of the crescent-like blade into the traitor's heart. Steel sinks in all the way to the hand guard, and Markus slumps to the ground, followed momentarily by the prince.

Zelda and Link simultaneously run forward to grab the prince. He grimaces briefly but pulls away, works his dagger free of the proconsul's body, wipes the blade, then sheathes it. Despite his victory, the warrior looks distraught. The princess kneels next to him and rests her hand on his arm, asking, "What is it?"

"I've killed Markus, but . . . Naku." He gives a depressed exhale. "My father's vengeance calls, but . . . I . . . I can't kill my own brother."

"Well," Link states evenly, "Whatever happens, we have to confront him."

Raidon nods, drawing in a deep breath as if to draw in the strength he lost in his battle against the treasonous advisor. He stands and glances at the knight, "You're right."

…

…

The prince barges through the main doors, stomping straight through the entry room of Naku's private chambers and past the yawning doorway opening onto the High Prince's private balcony, on which the three see the elder son turning to them, surprised to see his door slam open. The warrior glowers. "You!"

Naku stands and begins walking inside, a bored expression on his face as he looks on Raidon. "Look, it's the second born. Late as usual."

The younger brother twists his face into a snarl but resists the temptation to draw his weapons. "Were you really this impatient, Naku? That you couldn't have waited - what? A matter of months or a couple years—?"

Naku draws himself up to his full height and indeed casts an imposing countenance. "Don't presume to lecture me. I'd spent the last four years trying to keep the empire together _despite_ that dried-up old man. He should have stepped down at least half a decade ago and you know it."

"Don't you feel _any_ remorse for killing our father?" Raidon long knew that his brother was cold, but as he's acting now . . . it's beyond what he ever expected.

Naku sneers, "I regret that it had to be done, but it's his fault. Nobody ever held onto the throne so long, the emperor is supposed to abdicate before losing his mental faculties." He turns a harsh gaze on his younger brother. "I was about to ask if you had come to avenge my father, but I can see now you haven't. Either you don't have the gall, or maybe . . . you're finally smart enough to realize that there's going to be no 'paying the piper'."

Raidon curls his hands into tight fists, a guttural growl slipping from deep in his throat, when a sound makes he and his two companions jump.

_Buuhhhrreeeee!_

All three unsheathe their silver weapons at the appearance of the arch-Morihoth, his shining black-embroidered-black cloak dropping as if it came out of unseen wind. He glances at the three, holding slightly longer on the princess before turning fully to prince Naku and speaking in that deep, reverberating voice of his, "Oh, you _will_ pay the price."

The elder prince sees the tall arch-Morihoth preparing an ice spell and tries to send fire magic to counter, drawing on every drop of the blood of the sages in his veins to hold back the torrent.

Raidon turns away from the flickering of magic, displeased that the deed has been taken from his hands but content that, in an ironic way, justice is being done. The flickering and sounds of magic cease and the prince looks back up to see his brother on the ground, the arch-Morihoth slowly pacing towards him. Raidon has his Moon Dagger in his hand in a flash, tensed for battle. "So, time for another showdown between you and I?"

Quite surprisingly, then arch-Morihoth slows, reaching up to drop his voluminous hood to reveal a cherry wood snarling mask as he answers, "There is no further need to keep up the charade." He reaches back and unties the mask. When he speaks . . .

. . . the light, feminine voice nearly drops them all with surprise, "Now we can finally be together, my love." The Morihoth revealed to be 'she' without the enchanted mask, reaches up to the cloth still covering her head, and pulls the wrapping off, making Raidon's jaws drop again.

"Sarah?!"

The Morihoth suddenly latches her arms around his neck, draping herself on him as she coos, "Finally, love, now there's nothing between us—"

This statement is instantly made false by a silver quarterstaff.


	41. Claim

The Legend of Zelda: The Warrior Prince

…

**Chapter 40: Claim**

…

Sarah is smiling until a silver quarterstaff slams between her and Raidon. She loosens her hold around the prince's neck and leans back just enough to stare into the icy gaze of two narrow, cerulean orbs.

Her smile vanishes and she slowly steps back, glaring back at Zelda. Raidon is still rigid with panicked shock, so Link wisely pulls him to the side. Almost before the Dunlarian is out of the way, the princess strikes out with her quarterstaff. Sarah swings her arm and the quarterstaff strikes just above her elbow with a '_klin_' of metal on metal.

The sorceress steps backwards, deflecting another swing at her head. Zelda surges forward, executing a flurry of rapid blows at her enemy's upper body, but the sorceress responds with blurring speed, using her forearms to deflect every single strike.

Zelda pauses and readjusts her quarterstaff, holding two thirds from her farthest hand. The daughter of the grand sorcerer looks confused, but steps back and crouches, arms held up and wrists out, cloak dangling down like pools of shadow dripping from her arms. They look at each other, each evaluating their opponent, before the princess surges ahead.

She thrusts her quarterstaff like a spear and Sarah ducks lower, stepping slightly to one side to evade a swing as Zelda tries to compensate. The princess draws her quarterstaff back, then shuffles forward, raining small blows at the black-clad woman who fends off every one with her forearms, sending away every thrust.

Sarah, still backing up in smooth, controlled movement, reaches the wall and plants her foot on it and soars up. Zelda watches in amazement as she pushes off the wall, sailing over the princess and landing at the center of the balcony near the doorway.

The Hylian doesn't give her a moment, moving forward immediately. Adapting her tactics, she aims a jab for her heart. Sarah sidesteps and lets the staff pass under her armpit, clamping her arm onto the silver staff.

Now in partial control, she slips forward and swings her arm, attempting to use the bracer hidden under her sleeve as a weapon. Zelda ducks her head to one side, but her shoulder takes the brunt of the impact and the princess falters, loosing her stance. Sarah swings again, but this time the Hylian blocks in time, surprising the sorceress with her own hidden vambraces.

Locked in close quarters, the two rain blows on each other, the clanging ringing into the evening as they pass back through the doorway inside. Tiring of her lack of success with her one arm, Zelda uses the mithril greaves over her shin to strike the sorceress's legs.

Sarah nearly goes down, betraying her lack of armor beneath her trousers. Fortunately for her, she quickly adapts and counter-kicks each time Zelda tries to kick again, backing under the arches again. Once indoors, Sarah plays her hand by telekinetically throwing the room's contents into the princess.

Zelda tries to block, but she can't smack away the wrought metal furniture while also holding onto her quarterstaff, so she finally releases the silver weapon, grabbing the next steel chair to come her way and using that as a substitute club. The staff isn't heavy enough to fend off a heavy club from such close range, so Sarah tosses it aside and throws herself into a powerful backflip, sending her into the antechamber.

The Hylian drops the chair and summons her quarterstaff. Getting ready for heavy fighting, Sarah undoes a clasp and lets her heavy velvet cloak fall to the ground, exposing her empty mithril bracers, her close black tunic contrasting with the cloud-gray of the granite in the room. The princess snaps her quarterstaff into a ready position, high and angled down in front of her.

Not to be outdone, the sorceress reaches out and telekinetically rips a double sword from one of the suits of armor. She snaps her dual-bladed weapon into a ready position and reaches out her other hand out, flicking the fingers toward her in challenge.

Zelda's lips curl down into a simple, determined frown and she rushes forward. Silver clangs against mithril, whistling through the air, flashing on each contact, their weapons singing through the air in a discordant harmony. The whistle of metal whipping through air rises to sharp cracks.

Sarah slices, almost carving through Zelda's ankles before she jumps, responding with a vertical power blow. The sorceress bats it aside, twisting the double sword to carry its momentum, blocked by the Hylian's quarterstaff. The arms click and clack again before both simultaneously hold back their weapons.

Fire billows out from Sarah's outstretched hand, ice from the princess's, colliding in a crackling flare where the opposing elements spar. The two spell-casters growl and strain, but find themselves equally matched. Sorcerer- and sage-born briefly cease their spells, then switch to lightning bolts.

A ball crackles at the meeting point, tendrils licking out and melting the polished granite. Slowly, it starts to advance on Zelda. The princess pours all of the energy she can through her open hand, but it's not enough. The ball creeps closer and closer until with a blast of raw power it explodes, sending out a shockwave of force.

Holding back the prince suddenly forgotten, Link surges forward with a burst of speed aided by his Wyvern Boots. Both young men reach the black-clad woman and attack. Sarah responds with nearly blinding speed, batting away every blow from both the knight and warrior prince.

Keeping with his fluid, nearly-anything-goes fighting style, Link swings a blocked slash, then simultaneously throwing out a low, sweeping kick and slamming his silver kite shield, sharp bottom end first, at the sorceress. Sarah reacts with ability surpassing him, leaping straight up, twisting her body to throw off the incoming shield, then planting a hard kick to the face, flinging him to the polished granite.

His brother-in-arms and friend down, Raidon presses forward, both leaf-bladed short swords flashing like silver lightning, keeping even the superhumanly-fast sorceress on edge and backing up, though she refuses to make an offensive move against him. Perhaps he subconsciously senses this, because several times he passes up an opening and doesn't push for a quick kill as he normally would when locked in such furious combat.

Sarah continues to deflect every blow with uncanny accuracy, but her cherished opponent is still forcing her back. "My love, why are you doing this? I don't want to hurt you! I can't!"

Raidon's mouth opens once as if he was trying to find something to say, but he closes it again and continues to rain down blows, remaining between her and Zelda and keeping Sarah's attention focused on him. Finally, the sorceress seems able to take no more, because she looks away with hints of tears in her eyes and thrusts out her right hand. A pulse of telekinetic force sends Raidon flying through the air, sliding on landing until he passes all the way out of the wide arched doorway to the balcony.

Link ducks under the flying prince and manages to use her distraction just enough to land a cut across the thigh of her left leg. Sarah gasps and falters, but rises back to standing with such a fearsome gaze that even the Dauntless Knight gives pause. Her right hand still free, Sarah snaps it out and waves it back in as she spins around in the somatics of a powerful fire spell.

The Hylian is unaware of a glow beneath him until a shock of yellow-white flames explodes out in a fireball that tries to incinerate him. He screams in pain, but the spell is only beginning. So powerful it lifts him off his feet, fire continues to blast up, a swirl gathering and wrapping around him like the tentacle of some great monster, overwhelming his flame-resistant red chain-mail and scorching away the outer layers. Sarah's hand comes down and what he thought were flames dissipating harmlessly upwards come crashing down in another inferno.

Before he can recover, the sorceress surges forward with a speed leaving after-images, clamping a surprisingly strong right hand down on his seared throat. Link gasps at the phantasm of a rising dragon that briefly appears around her, then again in pain when she starts to lift him, rising him fully off the floor and several yards above it in the cavernous space of Naku's royal quarters.

"I'm going to enjoy watching you die, slime," Sarah spits. She glares at him with a vengeful fire in her eyes. "See what happens when you come between me and my love."

The archmagess lifts up, tightening her superhumanly-powerful grip. Crackles of energy begin to flicker into being around her fingers, just like the dark magic she used to kill the Hylian peasant in Lon Lon Village. Link drops his sword and weakly grips her wrist, his burned skin hurting him more than hindering her. Lightning flares and strikes into him, quickly bringing a scream from the knight.

Suddenly, a large ball of water strikes and envelops both of them, conducting the dark lightning magic into Sarah. She shrieks and drops Link, the disturbance bursting the watery sphere. Sarah looks straight ahead to see the foe who interrupted her killing, and fierce sapphire eyes glare back at her.

High Princess Zelda, floating at the same height above the floor as Sarah.

Agahnim's daughter roars in anger and surges forward with impossible speed. After-images follow her as she streaks in to eliminate her competition, but the Hylian slides to one side with even greater speed and grace. Before Sarah can recover from the surprise evasion, Zelda daintily points one flat hand at her and fires a wave of ice shards.

The arch-Morihoth counters with a wave of fire, the two spells canceling each other out. She turns her hateful gaze to Zelda's stoic one, the outward calm the princess portrays making her even more angry. She zooms at the Hylian again and swipes with a hand that flickers of a dragon's open claw, a trail of after-images following the attack.

Zelda blurs out of the way, having to slide more to one side to adjust for Sarah's initial compensation. The sorceress brings up her mithril double-sword, the best of the imperial foundaries. Sparks fly and light flashes when the princess blocks, but Sarah is already powering another swing.

Despite locking her arms, the blow nearly wrenches the quarterstaff from her hands. She lifts the weapon up and gasps when she really looks at it for the first time in the fight. It's covered with deep gouges.

Sarah is all over her in an instant, mithril singing through the air. Her speed is greater than before, but what worries the princess is how much stronger she is since she cast the spirit of the dragon on herself, and how each of her own strikes is doing less to the sorceress than before. Sparks fly and metal clinks as both try to break through the other's defenses when Agahnim's daughter pauses a moment longer than her battle pattern, then bellows and powers a vertical blow down on the princess.

Zelda lifts her quarterstaff to push away the blow, realizing too late what its true intention was. When the mithril bites into the silver staff, the lesser metal gives way and splits in two, the ends falling to the polished floor beneath her.

Sarah races ahead, giving a down-angled swing at what she thinks is the unarmed princess. Drawing on all her skill and magic before, she closes her right hand and a transparent green blade extends from it. Mithril strikes the mana weapon and light flares, but the combat spell holds. The two attack again, Zelda using the weapon in her right hand as well as vambrace and greave on her left side before deciding that her imitation sword isn't working.

Agahnim's daughter readjusts her grip and thrusts her double-sword straight at Zelda, hoping to impale her head, but the princess tightens her right hand and a transparent green shield springs into being just barely in time. She backs up, holding her middle and index fingers together as she charges her next mana weapon.

The sorceress is about to blur at her when the princess swings, snapping out a transparent green whip. The curving, living weapon passes around the arch-Morihoth's mithril sword to lash across her front, causing another flicker of part of a dragon phantasm but still drawing blood.

Zelda snaps the whip at her again and again, but Sarah is fast and blurs within the effective range of the weapon. The princess breaks off and tries to back away, but hits the wall. The glinting edge of the double sword closes and Zelda reaches out, hoping that her maneuver works.

It does, just barely, her hands clasp on the handle just beside Sarah's. The arch-Morihoth. frowns angrily and pushes. The upper blade, nearer to her foe's neck, quivers but begins to press closer. The two slowly slide down the wall, Zelda's shoes scraping against the polished marble as she tries to fend off the stronger sorceress.

Her boots hit the floor and a predatory gleam shines from Sarah's eyes as the deadly six inches slowly presses closer and closer. The razor-sharp mithril begins to cut into the princess's neck, drawing a trickle of blood, and Sarah gives a bittersweet smile. "I won't let you have Raidon. If you're going to get between he and I, that means you're mine."

Suddenly, the full phantasm of the dragon appears and Sarah jerks and her eyes snap wide open. Her push on the double-sword vanishes and Zelda pushes her and the blade away. There is a sickening '_shuck_' sound and the princess sees Raidon stand up behind the sorceress. As the latter slumps to the ground, Zelda sees Raidon's short sword in his hand, covered in blood.

He looks at Sarah with a mix of anger and vanishing pity. His eyes lift up to the princess with concern and he states, "Are you all right?"

Zelda lets out a long breath, suddenly feeling completely drained. She nods and looks for the familiar red tunic of her knight. It takes a moment longer to identify him, because the once-easily identifiable red has been burned away and serious burns cover his face and hands. "Link!"

Both run to their fallen comrade. Raidon is about to try to pick up the wounded knight when he opens his eyes and rasps, "Bring burn cream. _Lots_ of burn cream."


	42. Pyramid of Power

The Legend of Zelda: The Warrior Prince

…

**Chapter 41: Pyramid of Power**

…

Raidon stands up and begins pacing around the Zora's water shrine again. His mithril plate-mail glints a turquoise hue in the late morning sun, and the prince nervously watches the ground between his feet as he starts his circuit again. "Where's Agahnim? He should have been back first. He was just going to the Kwanis Maelstrom with Link."

Ruth sighs and follows, floating above him. "I don't know, prince. I was expecting Link back first, because he knows all of the teleport songs in Hyrule, but I'm sure if anything important was holding him up, Navi would have told me."

The prince closes his eyes and breathes deeply, then opens his eyes and looks no less stressed. "The plan was so simple. There were a few things to do in Dunlar and Hyrule, so we split up to run errands and purge a few catacombs. It's not like we're running around fighting armies any more, we just have to meet up here and then go fight Ganon."

"I know the plan, prince. So does everyone else, so try waiting for the others and stop staring at the water like it's going to hurt you." The mana sprite floats ahead with a swirl that for a normal person would have been rolling her eyes.

"They don't have to be so late!" The warrior snaps, pointedly looking away from the calm waters of the lake lapping at the shore. "We were supposed to rendezvous here before midday. What's taking them so long?"

Ruth lets out a sigh and swirls in a manner that would have been shaking her head if she had a normal body. _Of all the partners I could have been attached to, mine had to be afraid of water_.

There is a gentle '_kwoosh_' of a teleport at the front of the shrine and Raidon picks up a rapid jog to get around the short stone entrance in time to see the swirl of sparkles fading from princess Zelda. Her mithril plate-mail shines a turquoise hue, her new mithril double-sword shining as she turns around, quickly spotting the prince and smiling. "Hi, sorry it took longer than expected. Is everything okay?"

Before the Dunlarian has a chance to say anything, Ruth quite matter-of-factly states, "Raidon's afraid of the water."

"I am not!"

Zelda manages to suppress her urge to giggle with great difficulty, but the proud prince spots the hidden laughter and crosses his arms. "I am _not_ afraid of the water, I simply take . . . suitable caution in proper circumstances."

The princess can't keep in a giggle at his attempt to salvage his pride and there is another swirl of sparkling light behind her.

A middle-aged man in white silk and green felt once traditional among the Dunlarian magi steps away from the warp point, sliding a shepherd's harp into the green folds of clothing. "I apologize for my tardiness, the knight took longer to traverse Hyrule than I expected."

There is another swirl moments later and Link appears next, putting away his ocarina. He departed with a borrowed traveler's tunic, but he has discarded it and now wears a close green suit of scale-mail, each diamond-shaped scale encased in green and padded with leather for silence and increased protection. A second sword sheathe crosses his back, the handle of his old Master Sword poking up above his shoulder. "I had to stop to pick up a few extra things, I hope you don't mind."

With everybody collected and the prince eager to be moving on, Link begins marching them across the wooden bridge. The prince and princess go after, followed by Agahnim, though the sorcerer voices confusion, "Why are we leaving? There's a portal to the Dark World right here."

Link looks back over his shoulder, "There's no bridge in the Dark World."

"So? I can fly, I hear the princess can as well. What's the problem?"

The knight is about to respond with another joke on the prince when he glances over his shoulder and sees the Dunlarian looking daggers him and Agahnim is even more confused than before, so he decides to clam up and wait until they reach the portal in the swamps immediately north of the great lake. Link smashes away more of the driftwood and debris that cluttered the path and they enter the Dark World.

…

* * *

…

The dark reflection of Lon Lon Village fades behind as they proceed north, the land bridge leading to the Pyramid of Power directly ahead and boulders scattering the land around. Link slows, his sensitive ears the first one to detect approaching footsteps. Raidon, a tuned warrior, is the second; both draw sword and shield simultaneously.

Possibly realizing that their sneaking is useless, a pack of moblins step out in front and behind the troop, those to the south reinforced by an unarmored ogre and north with a squat, fat creature with a stiff, flower-bulb-like head, bouncing almost merrily towards them.

Link and Agahnim face off against the southern group, so Raidon and Zelda prepare to destroy those between them and their destination. Link bursts off after his moblins, his wyvern boots rocketing him forward with blurring speed, and the prince runs at his.

An ice ball sails past him, downing one moblin before he even reaches them. The purple and orange creature doesn't appear to be a threat, so the Dunlarian bypasses it, using his shield to knock away throwing spears until he nears enough to begin slicing into them with his leaf-blade. Two moblins go down before the other three re-adjust to close-range tactics, the reach their spears give them appearing to turn the tables.

A skilled veteran, the prince quickly adapts, using his wide shield to deflect the spears so he can near enough to cut the moblins down. They don't give him nearly as much resistance as the Gerudo he grew up fighting, but just as he finishes off the third moblin, the cheerfully jumping creature plops and its top unfurls.

A long, spiked, purple tongue reaches out with greater speed than its lacsidasical movement earlier belied, and wraps around the prince's middle. It snaps taught, winding Raidon from surprise but not breaking through his mithril. The prince smashes his new mithril leaf-bladed short sword down onto the tentacle, and it bounces off like rubber.

It starts dragging him in and the boy is almost ready to panic when a ball of ice smashes into the creature, freezing the body. The tongue instantly drops limp and Raidon backs away from it, switching short sword for his heavier scimitar to smash the beast as Zelda uses ice magic to finish off the other two moblins.

The four reconvene, and Agahnim immediately voices his worry about the perceived lack of resistance, "This is too easy. Ganon would not make his final stand nearly so light."

"He probably isn't expecting us yet," Link reminds him. "When I fought him, he wasn't even aware that I had breached his tower until I defeated you the second time, so he can't know about the loss of his last citadels and therefore won't feel backed into a corner."

The sorcerer isn't quite reassured, but can't find fault in the knight's logic, so they proceed north and over the land bridge towards the hexagonal structure dominating the space where Hyrule Castle stands. Scraggly, yellowed grass stretches out across the field at the base of the pyramid, and trundling through it are at least a dozen assorted ogres, moblins, and goblins.

The first four moblins fall to a series of fireballs from Raidon and Zelda. After gaining their attention, the two charge lightning spells. Agahnim holds his hands together and begins charging a squirming, opalescent mass while Link bursts into a rapid sprint on his Wyvern Boots.

The Hylian reaches the first ogre, who smashes a studded club down at him, but the knight rockets a perfect right angle, speed uninterrupted. He runs through a goblin who attempts to stop him, then skids to a remarkably rapid stop and stuns another goblin with a well-placed throw of his new silver boomerang.

Another moblin falls under the golden Master Sword, but Link frowns. _I must have been spoiled on that other blade, this one feels blunt and heavy compared to its silver twin_. He dispatches his second moblin when twin lightning bolts crackle through the assembly. Their temporary stunning effect gives him time to switch to his hammer and send several moblins and a goblin flying before another goblin comes up behind him.

Link dodges swiftly to the side, the toothed blade biting the paving stones. Link swaps weapons again, now drawing his silver blade of evil's bane to face off against a goblin in relatively well-crafted black armor with a tooth-tipped sword in each hand. Metal clangs and the blows rain back and forth, but though the goblin is smaller and weaker than its larger moblin cousin it is faster, more dexterous, and far smarter.

Finally, the expert Hylian swordsman manages to slip through the goblin's guard and land a blow. It doesn't kill it, but that's all he needs to set it off-balance, giving him the next three slashes to end the fight. Link turns around to the crowd in time to see Agahnim's explosive mass strike and burst, sending moblins flying and toppling ogres.

Now all that lie ahead of them are the stairs ascending to the summit of the Pyramid of Power.

The climb up the pyramid seems much farther than Link recalls, but the only time he can remember traversing the distance was going down it after Agahnim threw him into the Dark World. At long last, the troop makes it up the worn marble exterior to the top. The hole that Ganon smashed into it last time is gone, repaired with fresh stonework, and Link begins circling it to find a weak point.

The other three show obvious confusion as to why they trekked up this way instead of taking one of the passages inside that they thought they saw on the way up, but Raidon is the one who finally asks, "Hey, Link? What's with the sightseeing tour? Why didn't we just go inside the first door and—"

Surprisingly, Agahnim is the one to tersely respond, "Because many have sought to challenge Ganon, those before took those paths and all were destroyed in the labyrinth long before they ever reached the king of evil. Link is one of the only people ever to reach him, much less best him." He turns to the stonework and crosses his arms. "Though I do not know how he managed to break open the ceiling, my power would not be able to do so and as strong as your hammer is, I doubt it could smash marble blocks."

Link shakes his head at what the sorcerer is implying. "Last time, Ganon was the one who broke it open, I just dived down the hole and followed him in."

"So we are at an impasse. Either we take the suicidal path through the labyrinth hoping that we find our way to the grand chamber, or—"

"Hold on," the knight snaps. "I'm not out of tricks yet. I think I have just the thing to open this back up." He reaches over his shoulder and draws the golden Master Sword, pacing slowly towards the center of the replacement stones. With a suddenness that surprises the other three, he swings it up in the air and seems to be drawn up towards the sky before pointing the sword back down and then rocketing sword-first at the stone.

The power of the Quake Medallion sends shockwaves into the marble, cracks roaring out in all directions as the weak new stone quickly splits, crumbling into the space below. Link disappears downwards and the other three dive into the opening after him.


	43. Ultimate Decisions

The Legend of Zelda: The Warrior Prince

…

**Chapter 42: Ultimate Decisions**

…

At first, the only illumination is the gloomy light filtering in from the outside. The hints of six pillars are visible at the fringes of the light, gray marble rising up above a blue marble floor, but the space beyond is inky black. From somewhere in the darkness Ganon's voice booms out, "I see a wayward child has returned to me." Agahnim bristles, but before he can snap a retort, the booming voice continues, "Ah, and the Hylian who restored me."

Link's blood runs cold at the evil one's words. A chorus of 'what's echoes from the others, and the knight can practically hear the smirk in the fallen king's next words as he jabs at the open wounds.

"Your brave knight did not tell you? After all that effort to depose me, to restore his beloved kingdom, his heart made one final wish: that he could do it all over again. I was returned to life, and the Power of Gold to me."

Agahnim whips around, his magi robes flowing around him as he glares venom at the knight, "You _killed_ Ganon, and then brought him _back_?! I thought all you did last time was felling him and weakening his grip on the Golden Power!"

Raidon's bark follows right on the heels of the magi's words, "You _gave_ it all back to Ganon? You tore through his ranks, then restored his armies for them to ravage the empire? Murder my family, destroy my home? Quite nearly slay my . . . slay Zelda?"

Link stands there, cold despair swallowing him up because no matter how much he wants to argue, to say he didn't do it, a tiny voice deep inside whispered what he couldn't deny, that it was all true. When he wished for all the things for Hyrule, a piece of him was thrilled by the adventure and longed to set out on it again.

"Stop it!"

All eyes fall on Zelda, shining in her golden aura protecting her from the Dark World. She breathes deeply, gathering her words, "We're here to face Ganon, there's no room to let him turn us against each other."

A deep, rumbling laugh echoes out from seemingly everywhere in the darkness. Orange fire lights in one of the torches set into one pillar, then the next, wrapping around the cavernous space and finally bringing at least some light to the bleak darkness.

Something large jumps into the center of the room and the earth shakes, casting them apart. The instant they recover, Agahnim and Zelda each shoot an ice ball, but Ganon bats the spiked spheres away with his trident, then makes a full-circle swing, trying to take out Link. The Hylian executes a backflip, aided by the magic woven into his scale-mail, moving faster, higher, farther than ever possible before.

Miffed at his shortcoming, Ganon slams down the trident. Link backflips again to evade. The trident strikes the blue marble surface and a wide ray of deep crimson blasts out along the floor, slamming into Link the moment his feet hit the ground.

Raidon thought he would use Link's distraction to strike a blow on the self-proclaimed King of Evil, but just before his silver scimitar comes down, Ganon whips around in a blur and catches the sword in his trident, then throws it back and executes a series of rapid swipes, throwing the prince back.

The great enemy lifts his trident to impale Raidon when a ball of burning violet-black plasma strikes him. Ganon roars and stumbles to his knees, giving the four a wide opening that they all take advantage of. Link and Raidon slice into him with their silver blades, followed by Zelda with her mithril double-sword and a dark violet ray from Agahnim.

Ganon recovers from the plasma ball and almost immediately swings his trident in a full-circle sweep. Link and Zelda are both agile enough to leap above it, but the Dark World steel catches Raidon and throws him into one of the stone pillars with a sharp crack. The prince hits the ground with a thud and coughs blood, but stands with a wince. Telekinetically summoning his dropped scimitar, Raidon sheathes it and holds both hands together to cast a fire ball.

Link, now the focus of Ganon, dances away from the evil king. Ganon pulls his trident back and stabs it forward with lightning speed. Unfortunately for the dark lord, the knight remembers the move and side-steps just enough to deflect the brunt of the thrust with his shield. The blow still sends him flying, but he nimbly recovers, unharmed.

Furious at him and increasingly irritated at the three throwing magic against his body, Ganon creates a pulse of air throwing Link with a swing of his trident and spins around. "Fools! Do you truly believe you can stop me with your puny magic!"

"Yes." Then Agahnim finishes charging a second ball of plasma and sends it into Ganon, causing him to topple yet again. As before, the sorcerer blasts dark magic into the evil king and both swordsmen bring their silver to bear. Zelda hangs back this time, flinging ice spells and noticing they have much more effect than when their nemesis was standing.

Ganon's trident twitches.

As soon as Raidon sees it, he backs up and casts Spirit of the Wolf, enhancing his speed and agility just barely enough to leap over the trident when it comes whirling at him.

Agahnim starts charging a writhing, opalescent ball and Ganon now directs attention at him. "Insolent fool! You dare to use dark magic that I gifted to you?"

Ganon reaches out his hand and what can only be described as darkness separates from his shadow, flowing across the floor. Agahnim recognizes whatever spell it is with stark terror. He cancels his magic and takes off running. The darkness follows and passes under the magus.

He slows as if running through water and starts to sink, then tendrils of shadow spring up and wrap over Agahnim, who screams bloody murder. Ganon grins ruthlessly, then gasps in shock when Zelda hits the overconfident king with a Light Beam. Raidon flings fireballs at a rapid pace and Link chips in with his Magma Rod.

Agahnim scrambles off the floor and brushes frantically at himself for a few moments until Raidon's voice draws him back to his wits. He turns a look of fury at Ganon and blasts a dark ray at the great foe. The evil king roars and jumps into the air.

Link recognizes the move and barks, "Jump!"

Zelda follows, but Agahnim and Raidon don't respond. Ganon hits the floor and the earth quakes, throwing the two fighters standing on it. Before they can recover from the stunning effects, blocks of the floor start to disappear.

The one underneath Raidon falls, and he sees that it isn't an uncontrolled drop, but that it sinks straight down and rotates to expose a side studded with long, needle-like spikes. The prince stumbles to his feet and the room finally stops quaking, gaps scattered throughout the floor, primarily around the perimeter.

Raidon watches Link dance about the king of evil, evading his nemesis' broad swipes but finding no openings to inflict his own. Still, his masterful evasions reveal the practice he had before. Though their magic hasn't had very much effect, Raidon remembers the stunning effect lightning had on ogres and tries to help the knight with a similar tactic.

His two-handed bolt strikes Ganon and crackles over the dark lord's body, but the evil king shows no notice. Ganon stabs with blurring speed and Link dive-rolls within his guard to deliver a powerful upward slash. The dark lord growls. "Insect! You shall not defeat me."

Link smirks, leaping over a gap in the floor as he circles closer. "Yeah, just like I _couldn't_ last time?"

The knight reaches sword distance and slashes, but the dark lord blurs back, vanishing. The evil king appears near Raidon, who takes a swing with his leaf-blades. Ganon vanishes without fully appearing, laughing. Zelda is the next one to swing her mithril weapon through a phased Ganon. Agahnim is carefully watching, patiently waiting, and finally the evil king phases into reality near the center of the room.

Instead of rushing at the fighters with his trident low, he starts spinning it above his head. Wary of the scarlet flames spiraling into existence around his foe, Link tries to slip through. The chain of fire nearly sweeps him up, but the knight narrowly dodges and lands a solid swing before the trail end of the chain knocks him flying.

Raidon's fire only seems to aid Ganon's Magic, so he switches to ice as Agahnim charges a plasma ball. The head of the dark lord's trident pulls the lengthening chain of crimson fireballs when suddenly he slaps the triple prong to the ground and the balls burst open into winged gargoyles of flame, flying out in every direction.

Agahnim lets his plasma fly and uses another burst of dark magic to nullify the most threatening firegoyle as the other fighters dive out of the way.

The evil king looks boredly at the negative violet orb flying at him and steps away, vanishing. A brief flicker appears near Raidon and the prince cross-chops, hitting the floor. Ganon taunts the others in like manner, but Zelda finally catches him with a Light Beam, forcing him back into the physical world.

Already settling into their patterns, the other three pound him with silver and dark magic. Link's silver Master Sword cuts deep, drawing a smatter of dark blood warped by centuries in the "golden land". The evil king roars and throws out his hands, his trident missing but a nova of blood-red flames blasting out, throwing them in all directions.

The torches flicker and dim, flames dwindling until they seem to draw in light rather than emit. The room's shadows grow until darkness swallows everything. The four can barely make out each other, even with the green glow about Raidon and blue near Link.

The knight draws his magma rod and keeps his gaze roving side to side as he directs at his fairy, "Navi? I'm gonna need your light more than ever here."

One step ahead of him, she's already centered herself in the lamp. "We've got it this time. Go get 'im, Dauntless." A cone of pure, silvery light shoots out across the blue marble, but there is no sign of the dark lord.

Link tightens his grip on his rod and sword, his brow furrowing. "What's wrong, Ganon? No new tricks?"

A dark laugh echoes out from the inky blackness. "Overconfident boy. Many are the techniques I didn't see fit to show you last time."

A cold feeling pooling in his gut tells him that the evil king is preparing a sinister new trick he doesn't want to be a part of, so he sends a fire ball at the first convenient torch he sees. "Guys? Keep all the torches lit, as long as he can hide in the shadows we can't can hit him."

The Hylian boy spots the firegoyle the instant before it hits him, sending him sprawling until the floor falls out from under him. Link snatches out, gripping the edge of the marble, the peripheral light from Navi enough to illuminate points thrusting up at him from the darkness below. _Just like last time_.

The knight flings himself to his feet at the edge of the gap, drawing his bow. When he looks Ganon in the face, he is surprised to see the dark lord pained. _I guess we've done more damage that I did last time_.

The twisted king throws a firegoyle at Link and the Hylian dives to the side as the spawned being loops through the room, leaving a trail of flames behind it. Before its wake even fades, Ganon blurs into the center of the room, then points at one of the flickering relit torches and it splutters, then vomits fire at the nearest fighter, Zelda.

The billowing red stream misses, but only barely, and the torch finishes the flickering out it was close to before Ganon interrupted it. The princess snaps, "I thought you said lighting the fires would _help_ us!"

Darting back and forth to evade the evil king's next chain of fireballs and more jets from the weakening torch-flames, Link retorts, "It's supposed to, princess!"

The dark lord releases his chain of firegoyles and lands hard in the center of the room, gesticulating like a conductor at a symphony, sending jets of flame one way and another. Finally, Link gets a moment behind cover to nock a silver arrow, then pop out and let it fly. The sacred projectile hits and Ganon drops to his knees.

Zelda and Agahnim pour magic into him and the fighters weave their way around the gaps to lay into him with silver blades. While Ganon is still down, one of the six lit torches flickers out and Ganon smirks, sending another jet of flame at the nearest of the four.

Raidon powers his scimitar down again, and it clashes against steel, the grim face of the twisted dark lord behind the locked weapons. "I see that I have not been taking you seriously enough." He abruptly jumps and vanishes into the air.

Agahnim suddenly cries out and goes flying. There is a flicker behind Raidon and he goes sailing through the air, landing with a clatter of mithril on marble when he hits one of the six support columns, then falls to the floor. Another large form flickers behind Zelda, she partially deflects the blow but still is sent crashing to the floor.

Knowing what's coming, Link spins around and side-steps, thrusting his shield. A trident lashes out at him, but the knight was prepared and the blow only knocks him back a step. Down to one torch, he pulls his Magma Rod and begins the process of re-lighting. The other fighters join in just as Ganon begins directing jets of flames from the stone cups of fire.

The dark lord phases back into being next to one of the unlit pillars and lets fly a firegoyle, which spirals through the room and leaves a trail of red flames. Agahnim sends a bolt of fire magic and the last torch is lit. Now unable to hide, Ganon blurs from the fighters, stopping in the center of the room. Instead of slapping the trident down or readying a chain of firegoyles, he throws his weapon up into the air.

Link has never seen the maneuver before, but Agahnim pales. The knight sees why when the dark lord begins weaving his hands about in somatics, shooting firegoyles and directing fire jets with one darting hand, and lifting slowly up with his other. Stone scrapes and huge blocks rise up randomly from the floor. Ganon stops once they reach level, then he swings his hand forward.

The knight rolls forward and just barely in time to escape a gargantuan block of marble, just to leap to one side to evade a firegoyle. He sheathes his sword and draws his bow mid-jump, snapping a silver arrow into place and letting it go as soon as his feet hit the ground.

The projectile strikes ganon, but there is a flash of scarlet and black and the arrow spins harmlessly away. A block comes to rest straight between he and the dark lord, then changes direction and rushes at Link like a dodongo. The Hylian boy kicks off to the side and almost crashes into the other Hylian.

Raidon, dodging blocks with all the speed he can muster, somehow manages to close enough to the distracted dark lord to swing with his leaf-blades. The trident shoots down and smashes him away, but his second sword just manages to slice into the fallen king. He falters, just a second, but a second long enough for Link to ready another arrow. He and Zelda exchange glances and he pulls back on the arrow.

The princess charges a Light Beam and fires at the same instant as her knight. The missile collides with the magic and absorbs some of the holy power, becoming a shining comet that pierces into the dark lord. Ganon crumples at the shock of the blow, dark blood pouring from the wound. The warriors take advantage of the momentary stillness of the stone blocks to close on the fallen king and attack.

Ganon coughs blood and thrusts himself unsteadily to his feet, wavering so much that he stumbles on his way up. Ganon pushes off with his feet and vanishes into the air, but his trident remains. The scrape of marble is the first warning that the blocks have begun to move, and they return to hectic pace, zipping one way only to stop and rumble in a random new direction, the trident swinging down as if to attack of its own accord.

Link switches bow for sword again and hears a sound like the whisper of wind through a wooden hollow behind him. He spins an about-face in the blink of an eye, and quite nearly drops his sword at what he sees.

"Krono!"

His uncle clutches at his chest with a pleading look in his eyes, and slowly sinks to his knees. Momentarily forgetting the scene around him, the Hylian rushes forward, filled with concern.

It is quite nearly his death.

Suddenly, his uncle surges up in the fading light of the room, thrusting out a long dagger. Despite the knight's innate skill and speed, the distance and surprise are on his enemy's side and he is only able to sideslip just enough that the weapon slides through the diamond-shaped links of his scale mail, sinking in just a hairsbreadth above the lung and into the shoulder.

Were his shield not secured to his right arm he would have dropped it, and in space so close he can feel his foe's breath he can't make effective use of his noble sword, so the inventive knight adapts and brings up a knee into the dark figure's gut.

His 'uncle' coughs dark blood and stumbles back. Link's eyes narrow, his suspicions confirmed. "Ganon."

A malicious smirk that never should have belonged on his gentle uncle's face spreads. He returns the dagger to his belt and reaches behind him. A virtual pool of darkness swirls briefly and his hands return to his front holding a tall bladed mace on a six-foot pole that looks like it should be heavy, but Ganon holds it as if it were weightless.

He jumps, swinging the mace with surprising speed in a downward bash. Link dives to the side, pulling himself back to evade a sliding block by a hairsbreadth. As he moves, the dagger still in his shoulder shudders and makes him grimace, it feels like it's pulling back to the disguised dark lord. Black steel comes sailing at him and he drops flat to the floor, a bladed mace passing through the space inhabited by his head an instant earlier.

Drawing on all his agility, he leaps up, using the long pole below the mace as a step, swinging his sword with all his might. Silver connects as he pulls his body into a dive, dragging the sword across Ganon's neck and down his torso. The fallen king roars, returning to his twisted earlier form.

The dark lord reaches and rips out the dagger with one hand, making the knight gasp in pain before Ganon swings his mace at Link faster than he has time to evade, and though he knows the weight will be enough to send him flying he still brings up his shield to try to deflect it. The glint of mithril behind him shines and the mace is narrowly pushed up above the knight with the help of a short mithril blade.

Link glances at Zelda, who gives him a reassuring smile silently speaking, _I've got your back_. He returns his focus to Ganon, surging forward with a swing of his sword when the dark lord vanishes into the darkening room as torches continue to extinguish. Link growls in frustration and goes back to lighting the stone cups in earnest . . .

…

* * *

… 

Raidon thrusts himself into a backflip to evade a stab by the huge trident, which returns to the air and seeks someone else to attack. The prince is about to press his search for Ganon when a figure emerges from behind one of the stone blocks. Though everything is cloaked in shadows, he recognizes the figure immediately.

"Jenhan!"

His limbs feel wooden and he feels slightly dizzy. The one man who showed him compassion, care, love . . . Tears come to the Raidon's eyes and he sobs, "Where have you been? You left me alone . . . so alone."

Jenhan opens his arms and Raidon sheathes his swords and steps forward to accept the embrace. Both's arms begin to close when Zelda's voice pierces from the distance, "Raidon! Watch out, Ganon's—"

But whatever she had been about to say is interrupted by the shock of a dagger's blade piercing the chain-mail just beneath his half-length chest plate, designed to allow maximum mobility but now allowing the disguised dark lord to slide a needle-like blade into his back, scraping against his spine.

Raidon's eyes bulge and his legs turn into wet noodles, he falls to the ground with a 'clank' of mithril on marble. The tears he had been trying to hold back at seeing the one man who loved him now slide down his cheeks, but he stands with a bellowed war cry, drawing his leaf-blades and moving as if by pure force of will.

'Jenhan' backs up, the dagger once in his hand gone as he reaches behind him. Shadows swirl behind him and his arms return to his front with a halberd of black steel clasped at the ready. He thrusts the spearpoint at the prince, who bats it away with one sword as he swings his other, dodging skillfully to the side but grimacing and sliding down to one knee from the cursed dagger dragging against him.

The shadowy nemesis dodges back and swings the axe-head of his halberd down at the Dunlarian, who deflects it with his sword and responds with a swing of his own, though the short sword lacks the reach to come close. As soon as the black axe hits the ground, Ganon immediately switches direction, pulling the square spike opposite the axe at the prince. Raidon barely manages to catch the anti-armor blow with his sword.

Ganon takes a step back to maintain his reach advantage when there is a light glint from the stone sliding past to his side. The dark lord evaporates into shadow moments before Link's noble sword cleaves the air where he stood, princess Zelda arriving a moment later.

…

* * *

… 

Agahnim steps forward and lets a marble block slide by behind him as the trident rises back up, but against his expectations it vanishes into the darkness at the roof of the room. There is no sound, no eddies of magic to betray the dark lord's location when suddenly he spots a girl lying prone on the ground, her long hair spilling around her.

The magus' heart jams into his throat and he can barely whisper her name, "Sarah?"

He runs closer and kneels down to scoop her up in her arms when he catches the glint of metal from the moonlight shining in from the hole in the ceiling.

Agahnim snatches her wrist and clamps down tightly, holding his daughter's hand and the needle-like dagger in it from him. His voice betrays the confusion filling him as he asks, "Sarah? What's going on? What are you _doing_ here?"

The laugh that comes from her throat is deep and powerful, a laugh that the magus with years beyond natural life recognizes with a chill. Though he knows it already, when Ganon's voice emanates from 'her' mouth it still catches the magus off-guard: "I wouldn't expect you to be so surprised by the Shadows of the Dead."

The magus does a remarkable impression of a fish for the next few moments, finally managing to release the disguised lord and stand back. "H . . . but how?"

Ganon stands, face full of distain. "You disappoint me, _lord_ Agahnim. You should know by now that Shadows of the Dead only reflects people who are . . ." The dark lord pauses to flash an eerie smile that seems strangely fitting on Sarah's face. ". . . dead. By the three you call compatriots, no less."

The words hit the magus like a brick wall and he stands there like a statue. A lightning bolt flicks out from a distancing marble block, and the other three fighters close in with full force.

Already badly wounded, Ganon reverts to his twisted larger form with a sprinkling of blood. His trident returns to his outstretched hand, but he doesn't have the chance to use it. Both Link and Raidon plunge their blades straight into the dark lord, while Zelda blasts him with light magic. The dark lord and twice master of the Triforce wavers on his feet, coughs thick blood, and topples backwards.

Raidon heaves back one short sword and plunges it into the fallen king's forehead. The entire room seems to rumble and from the point of contact burst warring rays of the darkest black and the brightest gold. Ganon gives one last angry roar before finally going limp, his body dissolving like salt thrown in water, the prophecy that his own blood would destroy him fulfilled.

The two Hylians and Dunlarian give relieved sighs and slump to the floor. Link smiles and states wearily, "All in all, that wasn't nearly as hard as I thought it'd be."

None of them notice Agahnim clenching his fists, but all of them notice when the room starts to quake.


	44. One Day, One Dream

The Legend of Zelda: The Warrior Prince

…

**Epilogue: One Day, One Dream **

…

The pine door creaks open and a Hylian attendant with a stack of white cloths and bowl of elixir steps gingerly into the room. Lying on the bed rests warrior prince Raidon, sheets drawn up to his waist. Bandages holding bloody gauze wrap around his stomach, more in a stiff wrapping hold his right shoulder still, magic burns still poking out from under some of the bandages on his arm. More bandaging wraps over his head, covering extensive magic burns on his face and holding a piece of medicated gauze over his right eye.

At the sound of the door, he turns to look at the attendant. He sighs and is about to turn away when he spots another person hobbling in on a set of crutches. "Link!"

"Raidon! I'm surprised to see you're not up and about against doctor's orders," the knight jibes.

The corner of the Dunlarian's mouth quirks up for a moment, but then returns to a thin line. "At least _you're_ ambulatory," he gestures at Link's crutches. "Not like I'd be caught dead leaning on a pair of sticks, even if I wasn't covered in too many magic burns to try."

Link smirks good-naturedly. "Hey, I dove out of the way when Agahnim shot a dark ball of plasma at me, I wasn't the 'brave one' who stood there and took it." The smile lessens a little and the boy avoids looking at the wrappings over Raidon's head, particularly that covering his right eye. "So, how's . . . um . . ."

"Just say it, Link. My eye." The prince states flatly, clearly not in the mood to be dancing around the topic. "It might get back to looking normal some day but I'll never be able to see out of it again." The prince tries to lever himself up, but the woman trying to attend to him pushes him back down and he sighs, feeling too weary to argue again. His eyes flick back to the boy standing nearby. "How's Zelda?"

"She's . . . good. C'mon, she's the one with light magic, she took the fewest injuries of the three of us and you know it." He smiles, but worry and not mirth shines in his eyes. "She's been asking about you as much as you've been asking about her. By now I'd think that you two'd be smart enough to figure out the other one's gonna be fine."

The attendant begins unwrapping the bandages around Raidon's head, exposing magic burns that have blackened the prince's skin, right eye still swollen shut. Link grits his teeth in sympathetic pain as she starts replacing the bandaging, those closest to his skin yellowed. The two young men wait until she finishes and begins packing up to depart before they even look at each other again.

The door closes and Raidon states only slightly tersely, "What is it, Link? You had that look in your eye like something's afoot since you came in, and I know you're not stupid enough to stand there feeling pitying."

Link removes his cap and feels the folds of cloth in his fingers for a moment, giving the simple wool undue attention as he leans on his crutches. Finally, he answers. "A letter came for you from Koyu. It's . . . he wanted you to come to Dunlar City."

The knight hobbles over to a stool next to the bed and eases himself down, setting the crutches against the wall. He notes an ink bottle and recently used quill on the small table next to the bed. Raidon notes the examination and asks, "When did you first meet Zelda?"

"Actually? The day I rescued her from Agahnim on that rainy night two months ago." He cuts off and the prince levels a surprisingly piercing gaze for one eye, and the knight knows he's not asking for the date.

The knight tries to look relaxed leaning away on the stool and only manages to look awkward. "I heard her call for help from within the dungeons," he says as he taps at his temple to indicate that Zelda called out telepathically. He lowers his arm slowly and hesitantly continues. "When I found her, I was transfixed. She was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. She was just sitting there waiting for her execution – so she thought – and I could see that she'd started to lose hope, that letter she had was crumpled and worried."

"So she was calling for a savior and waiting for me, but then you showed up."

Link leans back and crosses his arms, a little awkwardly with his left arm in a cast. "Raidon, I . . . what are you saying? I'm a _knight_. She's some uppity princess." A heartbeat of silence passes and a sly look like a cat with its prey cornered slips into the young Hylian's expression. "Are you getting cold feet?"

The warrior prince doesn't seem to respond, his eye stares blankly at the wall. A few moments pass before he whispers, "I'm afraid."

Link bodily jerks in a double-take, but manages to catch his tongue and wait for Raidon to speak again. "Everyone who gets close to me dies. My mother died giving birth to me . . . Jenhan was butchered by the Gerudo . . . my father died and he never even approved of me . . . Dimitri died in combat against the wyvern . . ."

"Hey," Link sternly snaps. "Everything that happened . . . all of those things happened because of outside agitatants. And it all traces back to Ganon and the Triforce. We've destroyed both for good. You personally finished off Ganon, and Agahnim dragged the Golden Power into the afterlife, just like he wanted." _Strange way to save the world_.

Raidon opens his mouth and the Hylian interrupts, "And no more excuses. So, the doctors say a couple weeks before you've recovered enough to travel, right? I assume this means we head out to the Green City in . . . one week?" He asks with a smile. The prince draws in a long breath, then grins back.

…

* * *

… 

The sparkles of a teleport fall away from the young men, the princess having stayed in Hyrule for an audience with the King. The normally cheery and bustling Green City seems deserted, with the sounds of people moving in the distance but almost nobody in the immediate area. Raidon nods at the road west, heading up to the Imperial Palace. "C'mon, let's go see what Koyu wanted."

The two rush up the progressively steeper streets towards the palace, its sharp green spires rising up from within the dark granite rock of the valley's slopes as it rises up into the Kai Mountains. Up a road north, they near a set of fortified gates separating the lower city from the royal quarter, and the thunder of crowds beyond meets their ears. Soldiers are teeming across the gate, the nearest snap to the ready as soon as they spot the two fighters approach.

Raw noise from the crowd on the other side of the fortified gate blasts through, but Raidon's focus is on the soldiers blocking their path. "What the hell is this?"

"My lord, please forgive us, but he is an outsider," the nearest soldier points at Link in his green, diamond scale-mail. "He is a knight of the Hylian—"

"Have you forgotten what he did for us in the battle of Fort Turma?!" Raidon bellows, his voice momentarily overpowering the roar of the crowd on the other side and making the nearby soldiers cower. A beat passes, and the prince spins on his heel to look at his friend. "Link," he calls simply.

The knight paces forward and stops next to his Dunlarian companion, obviously perplexed. "Um . . . yes?"

"Kneel," the warrior prince states as he draws a mithril leaf-blade with a long _shink_.

Confusion growing, a bead of sweat starts to collect on the knight's temple, though he obeys. "Raidon?"

"This Hylian, with nothing at stake for himself, came with us and fought alongside the legions of Dunlar." The prince's gaze turns darker and he states in a deeper tone, drawing the ear of everybody nearby, "We fought side by side in battle, and by the shedding of blood together he became my brother."

Raidon straightens and takes on an eerie calm as he stretches out his right hand, sword glistening in the sun. "And so, by my power as a prince of the imperial throne, I knight you: Sir Link the Wyvern Slayer."

There is a brief lull from the crowd on the other side of the gate, allowing mixed reactions from the Dunlarian soldiers, from gaping awe to jubilant applause. The young Dunlarian touches the flat of the tip of his blade to each shoulder on the knight, then sheathes his blade. Link rises, a smile faintly smirking on his face as he gazes back at the more obvious smirk on Raidon's. Both turn back and the small mass of soldiers shuffle, most opening the way for the two but others allowing one from the back to step forward.

The brief cheering fades as the soldiers bow to one knee to the approaching prince and newly dubbed knight, and finally the entrant who had been silently watching from the back steps forward.

Captain Koyu of the Dunlarian Royal Guard steps forward and bows to his prince. "My lord," he states, trying not to look at the deathly shade of pale of the skin burned by dark magic, not yet given time to fully regenerate. "Things have not been well since you have been away."

"Even though I have slain the dark lord and scattered his armies?" The prince is obviously in no mood to play games.

"Warrior Prince, the empire was on its last legs when we began the war against the Gerudo. The secession of the Morhadrin and Rastans would have happened even without the invasion of king Dragmi . . . Ganon's army. The Zorhadrim have cited the lack of a royal marriage to bind them and sealed off their domain. The Kai dwarves are demanding more aid than we can supply, the elf lords are beginning to order the local militias like before the unification, and even the Gorgonites are asking to be allowed to return to solitude in the desert."

Thunder rumbles from the distance, a low and ominous sound rolling over the nearer sounds of the riotous crowd on the other side of the gate. The prince looks unsteady on his feet, but the royal captain continues heedless, "We've tried deploying soldiers, but there are revolts everywhere and non-elves are disobeying orders and deserting in droves." He gestures behind him to the steel bars of the gate and the crowd beyond. "Riots have overrun the security in the market square, carrying banners that there is no emperor. I . . ."

The captain of the royal guard trails off and Raidon turns his focus to the people beyond the gate and really hears them, the angry chanting. "No king!" and "Death back to the throne!" The chanting seems to freeze the air and it feels like the world is spinning around the Dunlarian teen. He doesn't even feel it when Link subtly walks up next to him and strongly grips his arm to keep him steady.

Captain Koyu's volume drops as he whispers plaintively, "I'm sorry, sir, I just couldn't send word of this in a letter. The empire has collapsed."

Raidon opens his mouth, but can't find anything to say as lightning flashes through the sky above. He shifts his foot as if to take a step and suddenly starts to fall, caught by Link's strong grip as the crowd's chanting continues, almost cruelly hurling epithets at the prince just out of their view. The fighters stand there silently for a few minutes, then the skies rumble and all seems to quiet.

Everybody, trailed by Link and Raidon, look up into the shifting skies, and an instant later the virtual blankets of water come falling down, drowning out the dying roar of the scattering riot, many of its members so young they have never seen rain in their life. The knight looks beside him at his unflinching friend and stares for a moment, trying to decide of those trails running down his face are just the rain . . . or tears.

…

* * *

… 

A sharp knock at the door wakes Raidon, and the young Dunlarian jerks awake in the late morning sun. His right eye blinks, solid white but still reflexively squinting in the sunlight that falls across his face. He reaches to the eye patch and puts it on before Link barges in.

"What happened to the early riser that I used to know? C'mon, get a move on! Get up!" Raidon lies back down and turns away, and Link throws his hands upwards in a _why me?_ gesture. A sigh later, he decides, _Fine, I'm getting straight to the message_, as he walks to a dresser holding a couple tunics and draws a formal Dunlarian tunic. "No more lounging, I know you and you're plenty healed up enough to be out and about. The King wants to speak with you."

Raidon dutifully rises, and soon later follows the knight to the throne room. The yawning, gold-gilded double doors loom ahead of him and the prince swallows hard, trying to keep from sweating. He knows that King Hyrule waits beyond, but he looks like a man waiting for his execution. There is a boom through the heavy pine doors and they slowly swing open.

The young Dunlarian straightens and hopes the façade looks straight, and strides in. The Hylian king sits upon a throne not as grand as the Imperial Throne in Dunlar, but there is something more true about it's slightly more humble yet even more ancient appearance that radiates power. King Hyrule sits tall and proud in the seat, decked in damasked white and red silk trimmed with gold thread.

Raidon bows to one knee and lowers his head, apparently decorous, though those who know him might see the subtle indications that he felt out of energy. "Yes, my lord?"

"This past month has been one of great turmoil and upheaval. Twice my nation was invaded by the ancient, fallen king named Ganondorf, and he has been vanquished. We have seen the fall of the House of Agahnim, the end of the Gerudo; the simultaneous renewal of the non-aggression pact between the Hylians, Zora, Gorons. For the first time in history the Gorons and dwarves are negotiating peace. The Kokiri are even volunteering to train new numbers of our soldiers."

The king stops, and after a space for a long breath, the Dunlarian decides that he is invited to speak, yet he finds he cannot hold in a tint of bitterness in his tone. "Your nation is always in spring, but mine now sees the close of autumn. Ganon brought his full force against us, and my people are broken. For over a hundred years we starved in drought, but the rain came too late. The Zorhadrim have cast us off, the Morhadrim and Rastans betrayed us and smolder in ruin, the dwarves bleed us and the Gorgonites turn their backs on us."

Raidon chokes and stops, trying to catch his breathing and gain some control back from his spiraling anger and indignity at the card fate dealt him. "For all our mithril, the foundries are worthless now. My . . . King Hyrule, I have nothing to offer you. No empire, no throne." His shoulders now take a visible droop, and a new voice rings out.

"It's a good thing I can't be bought with those things, then, isn't it?" Zelda states with a smile as she steps out from behind the grand throne. Link leans against the throne room doors with a grin and the Dunlarian's gaze snaps up as she slowly steps towards him, her white cotton dress almost radiating in the morning light.

She tries to shake her head in mock derision, but the smile only grows and the gesture is ruined before it starts. "Raidon, we've been spending a lot of time getting to know each other. When you're not too busy trying to keep up a strong façade you're thoughtful and sweet. You're always working so hard for other people, always caring other people . . ." She trails off as she nears him and reaches out a hand. "You need someone to care for you."

She takes in a breath before she asks, "Will you let me be that person to care?" He continues to look down, leaving her outstretched hand in the air. She hesitates, now wavering.

Raidon reaches out and takes her hand in his . . .

…

"I do."

As the royal couple share their first kiss, the hall erupts with sounds of jubilation, from relieved laughter to cheering to tears of joy. Drums burst, showering everything with bright confetti as the Royal Knights stand by the altar in all their noble glory. Sir Link, standing at the point of honor closest to the two and the altar, chuckles and smirks as prince and princess step back.

Zelda shoots a questioning look at her knight and Raidon follows, a beat later asking, "What's so funny? I've just been married, what are you going to do?"

Link looks deeply contemplative and makes a good show of not smiling for three good seconds before he cracks a grin and replies cheekily, "Ohh, I dunno. Maybe go out for an adventure." He leans closer conspiratorially, quite aware that he's only drawing attention doing so before he whispers, "I'm not the one stuck with the girl."

Zelda gasps and a beat later grabs the nearest quarterstaff before she goes tearing off after the sniggering knight, and all the while Raidon stands there trying not to double over with laughter.

…

* * *

This story was truly an adventure to write, and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. The theme of altruism can be hard to portray without overdoing the characters, and it was an interesting challenge to myself to portray a class struggle not as the common Western view of breaking down barriers for "freedom and good", but recognition for social institutions that worked and existed in order to serve and protect the people. Oh, yeah, and the triumph of friendship and love over adversity and division. One day maybe I'll experience those things first-hand. 

This novella (or would it be a full fan novel?) was in the works for a very long time and had innumerable changes. There were a lot more dungeons I was planning on visiting (such as the "Kwanis Maelstrom", which is visited briefly in chapter 23: A Deep and Ancient Evil), a few more events of Raidon "discovering" Hyrule, and quite a few more of the Hylians discovering Dunlar. The first outline also kept Raidon much more at arm's length with the other characters and ended with his death after finding out about the collapse of his homeland, which initially took place before their final confrontation with Ganon; but the characters took on a life of their own and Raidon wouldn't let me keep him down.

A great big thanks to all those of you who reviewed, you truly did keep me driving forward and this story is dedicated to you:  
Rae Tarules, Ri2, Lancet Mage, FanFictionFantom, BondisBest, Avalon Estel, fluffernutter, Sir Miles, Kinda-Mayvelle, Tanimax, parading-graveyard, myeerah, Altum, DragonRaiderX9.

For more works written by me, I have original fiction posted on my account at FictionPress(dot)com. God bless and keep reading!


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